I took my middle school girl shopping this afternoon after her orthodontia appointment.
That's really not a big deal. We both like to shop. But our shopping usually involves a thrift store with a ten items for $10 sale, or a garage sale. We regualrly make u-turns when one of us spots a sign in a yard. I get items for free through Freecycle and she squeals over cast off leather coats. My kids wear second hand clothing, but it is all brand name clothing. Why pay $50 for a sweater that I can get next year at the Goodwill for $1?
That's really the point I am at with eating out. Why spend $100 for a mediocre meal and crappy service when I can spend $40 and have the same meal at home and have the meal be incredible and the service as good as I want it to be?
But sometimes I like going out to eat. And I get it that sometimes a girl wants a new outfit. So when I suggested that she think of a reward for finishing cross country and she requested a shopping trip to get an outfit for her choral concert, I said ok.
I braved the mall. We went in the afternoon so the crowds weren't bad. We went through four shops before we found stuff we could agree on. She headed into the dressing room at American Eagle with an armload of clothes and I sat in a big leather chair outside the dressing room while she and the salesgirl played dress up. She tried pants, skirts, leggings, sweaters with multiple camisoles, one camisole, white shirt, blue shirt, and a jacket. The salesgirl was fantastic and made sure that the fit was right.
"This skirt is too big," said my kiddo disappointedly when she came out the first time.
"I'll get you the next size smaller," the salesgirl said and then she did. And then she also brought the same skirt in brown with a blue stripe.
And the look on my daughter's face when she realized that there were umpteen sizes and colors of the same skirt? It made the whole mall trip worth it to me.
We ended up with a complete outfit that matches and is the right size. She got a bonus blazer because it was cute and on clearance. She also got a giant paper shopping bag that she plans to cut up and make into a math book cover.
It is the most expensive math book cover in the history of this house. There are kids who get shopping trips to the mall all the time. But I bet they don't appreciate them half as much.
That's really not a big deal. We both like to shop. But our shopping usually involves a thrift store with a ten items for $10 sale, or a garage sale. We regualrly make u-turns when one of us spots a sign in a yard. I get items for free through Freecycle and she squeals over cast off leather coats. My kids wear second hand clothing, but it is all brand name clothing. Why pay $50 for a sweater that I can get next year at the Goodwill for $1?
That's really the point I am at with eating out. Why spend $100 for a mediocre meal and crappy service when I can spend $40 and have the same meal at home and have the meal be incredible and the service as good as I want it to be?
But sometimes I like going out to eat. And I get it that sometimes a girl wants a new outfit. So when I suggested that she think of a reward for finishing cross country and she requested a shopping trip to get an outfit for her choral concert, I said ok.
I braved the mall. We went in the afternoon so the crowds weren't bad. We went through four shops before we found stuff we could agree on. She headed into the dressing room at American Eagle with an armload of clothes and I sat in a big leather chair outside the dressing room while she and the salesgirl played dress up. She tried pants, skirts, leggings, sweaters with multiple camisoles, one camisole, white shirt, blue shirt, and a jacket. The salesgirl was fantastic and made sure that the fit was right.
"This skirt is too big," said my kiddo disappointedly when she came out the first time.
"I'll get you the next size smaller," the salesgirl said and then she did. And then she also brought the same skirt in brown with a blue stripe.
And the look on my daughter's face when she realized that there were umpteen sizes and colors of the same skirt? It made the whole mall trip worth it to me.
We ended up with a complete outfit that matches and is the right size. She got a bonus blazer because it was cute and on clearance. She also got a giant paper shopping bag that she plans to cut up and make into a math book cover.
It is the most expensive math book cover in the history of this house. There are kids who get shopping trips to the mall all the time. But I bet they don't appreciate them half as much.
posted by Lea at 7:10 PM
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