Just Keepin' It Real...

As I was folding my 16-month-old daughter's clothes last night, I noticed how many of them have something written on them.

"I Love My Mommy"
"Daddy's Little Lamb"
"Big Sister"
"Hug Me"

Why do we do this? Why do we project things that we HOPE our kids are thinking onto their clothing? I can tell you from first-hand experience that my daughter doesn't always want a hug. She lets you know by saying "No!" and then pushing away from you with all of her baby strength (she has left bruises on my neck). How about a shirt that says, "Hug Me, If I'm In the Mood"; that would be better.

I saw a little boy the other day with a shirt on that said, "Daddy's Little Cowboy". What if that kid wants to be an accountant? Or a computer technician? When the kid grows up, will they have this conversation?

"Dad, I've decided I want to be an accountant."

"I'm so disappointed, son."

"Why, Dad?"

"I really thought you were going to be my little cowboy."

"Cowboy? I've never wanted to be a cowboy. What are you talking about?"

 "Don't play dumb, son. You wore a shirt. You said you'd be my little cowboy. I bought you a horse today. He's in the garage. His name is Teddy."

"What? I don't want a horse, Dad. I don't want to be a cowboy."

[pause for effect as Dad gets red-faced, stands up and points]

"YOU WORE A SHIRT!!!"

What if we wrote more honest things on kids' clothing, just to keep it real. Things like...oh, I don't know...

"My Mommy Has Low Self Esteem"
"My Daddy is Trying to Re-live His Childhood Through Me"
"I Poop 3 Times a Day & Don't Have To Clean It Up"
"I Am the Reason My Parents Haven't Been Intimate in Several Months"
"I Drink My Own Bath Water"
"I Am the Most Powerful Person in This House"

Stuff like that.

I'm not saying that my daughter DOESN'T love her Mommy (who wouldn't?), but how about letting HER come up with that on her own?

Don't get me wrong, I will continue to dress my child in these tiny, mandatory billboards-for-babies, because all of our money is going to diapers and food and I can't afford to buy anything else.

I just thought I would mention it.

I have also noticed - related to this - that when we are raising our children, we are tempted to project things onto them that don't belong to them. Our guilt, our fears, our past experiences, our unfulfilled hopes and dreams, our hobbies, our interests, etc.

We need to be careful about this, especially when it comes to their faith. It is our job to train up our children, spiritually, but they can't have our faith. They must have their own.

If I were to buy my teenage daughter (12 years from now) a shirt that says, "My Parents Are Awesome!!", she probably wouldn't wear it.

But if we try our best to be the best parents we can be, she will probably at least THINK it...at some point.

If she doesn't, I'll buy her a shirt that says, "I'm an Ungrateful Teenager." By that time, gas will be so high that she'll either have to wear it or get a job. Either way, I win.