Wheelin' and Dealin'

So my four year old has some pretty strong opinions.

And a lot of those opinions have to do with clothing.As a budding fashionista she has no problem telling me what she wants to wear and what she would like to shove to the back of her closet.  For awhile I was fighting her everyday to wear what I had picked out.  Tears were shed, tantrums had, clothes thrown across the room and feet stamped.  I got so tired of it. 

Then one day, while I was heavily pregnant with Addie, I was exhausted and had no energy to fight her before preschool.  I ended up thinking, "screw it" and I let her go to school wearing whatever she wanted.  It wasn't weather appropriate but since we only had to walk across the street I just let her.  Our morning was WAY easier and she was so happy to be in control of something.  

A few days later it was Sunday and she was insisting on some outfit that included a crown.  It was then that I made a deal with her.  She could choose what she wanted during the week and I got to choose what she wore for special occasions and church.  Surprisingly she agreed and happily put on what I had laid out.  

And you know what?  Her combinations haven't been too terrible!  I've had to remind her of the weather at times but we've mostly been able to keep to our deal.  

She likes to show off her clothing choices and will often run excitedly to Josh or I and ask "how do I look?" or "check out my outfit!"  She's even started to ask me what I'm going to wear and tell me what she thinks.  

It has been fun to see what she puts together and watch her try to push the boundaries of what she CAN wear.  In fact we've had to create some basic guidelines: she has to have a top and a bottom, dress ups are not clothes and cannot be worn inplace of actual clothes, clean undies EVERYDAY, no skirts without leggings in the winter, clothes have to be clean.  

I think it's been a positive change for us.  It's one less thing for me to do each morning and she feels like she's in control.  Plus her grins each morning as she comes prancing into the livingroom with her outfit (or some days outfits) of choice are pretty awesome.  

I sure love my free spirited, headstrong, funny girl.