Pants

About a month ago I started digging through last winter's kid clothes, trying to figure out what still fit and what I need to buy as fall approaches. I asked Connor to try on some pants so I could figure out what size he needs this year. He looked at me the way Jayden James and Sean Preston must often regard their mother, with a mix of disgust and pity for the woman whose obvious mental instability was now threatening the welfare of her children. "I'm not wearing pants," he said, spitting the last word at me like he was cursing. I tried to explain that of course it's too hot for pants today, but he'll need them soon when fall comes. "I think we should just not go anywhere until it's time for shorts again," was his response. I laughed, but he made it clear he wasn't joking. Since I figured that eventually peer pressure and discomfort would win this battle for me, I decided not to fight it. I told him he could wear baggy shorts, long sleeves, and knee socks (which he has no problem wearing pulled up to the knee) when it got colder, so that we could leave the house between October and March. He agreed.

This morning it was about 50 degrees when we left the house. Connor had dressed himself in normal ankle socks, shorts that are borderline too small for him and show most of his leg, and a short sleeved shirt. I was hopeful that maybe today was the day that would break him. When we got out of car at school, he conceded that he was a little uncomfortable. "Maybe we should just stay home from now on," he tried again. Like any good parent, I laughed at him. He knows that's not going to happen. "Look at Harry! He's got on jeans and a long-sleeved shirt!" Harry's mother laughed at Connor too. "Dressed himself?" Heh. Once we got in the door, Connor insisted that it was hot inside (it wasn't) so he would be fine. When we got to his class, I pointed out all the other cool kids who were wearing jeans, but clearly all I did was make those other kids seem like punks compared to the super-cool, I-only-wear-shorts awesomeness that is Connor. So I just sighed, kissed him good-bye, and asked the teacher not to call child services. Vegas puts the over/under for when he gives in and wears pants at November 6. Anyone care to wager?