Don’t Judge the Mom by the Kid’s Winter Gear

Posted Dec 27 2011, 2:46 pm in teens

I drove my high school junior to school last week, noting all the kids not wearing coats. Yes, it’s been unseasonably warm for a New York December, but not only were some kids sans coats, they were also wearing shorts and flip-flops. My own sons never wear coats and it drives me crackers.

I got up early this morning to take a nice long walk. I invited my son along. He ambled downstairs wearing a hoodie and a pair of shorts. It’s about thirty degree outside.

Me: “This is what you’re wearing?”

Him: Nods

Me: “You know it’s freezing out.”

Him: “I don’t get cold.”

Me: “Uh huh.”

We head north, walk a large full-mile circuit. By the time we get back home, my nose is red, my fingers are numb, and I’m pretty sure my eyeballs have frozen in their sockets. He kicks his shoes off, fires up a video game, where he sits huddled under a blanket as I write this.

Apparently, he DOES get cold.

GAH! “I thought you said you don’t get cold.”

“I do get cold. I just don’t get cold enough to wear coats.”

Yeah. That explains it. *eye roll*

I questioned both sons what they have against coats. The firstborn said he doesn’t like them. He’ll wear coats only during blizzards or extreme weather. The youngest said he’d rather wear lots of sweatshirts.  *head wall*

I took the question to Google where I found… wait for it… thirty-eight million hits. Someone needs to explain this trend to me. I have a gorgeous long red coat. It’s like being wrapped in a warm Snugli. I wear it all winter and love it. Does this make me terminally uncool?

Don’t answer that. It was rhetorical.

*gasps*

I just remembered something. A few months ago, I was cold so grabbed my son’s hoodie and relaxed around the house. At nine PM, I had to pick him up from school, where he was practicing for marching band. I just wore the hoodie instead of my coat. I had the hood up and got out of the car to fetch him.  This was the same day I learned about my book deal, so naturally, the first words I spoke to my son were to share the great news. While the two of us jumped up and down to celebrate, one of his friends came running over, grabbed me in a bone-crushing hug and said, “Hey! Is this your sister?”

Sister, people. Sister.

Wearing a hoodie, jumping up and down… yep. I certainly did not look the way a mom in her mid-forties typically looks. I think I just answered my own question.

*rummages through sale circulars* Does anyone need a warm, long red coat? I’m off to buy some hoodies.

 

 

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