A (Stylish?) Tadpole in a Shark Pool
July 26, 2006
Yesterday evening, we took Spiff to the Outlet stores here in Orlando to go shoes and clothes shopping for Middle School.
(We also took Scamp, who likes to put on “shows” using the clothing racks as his curtains. We provided entertainment for everyone, right down to the annoyed salesgirl who had to pick up several shirts that fell to the floor during one of his shows. We make friends everywhere we go)
As an aside; if you live here in the south, and you still have a Winn-Dixie open near you, go buy $25 worth of groceries (may I suggest the deal they have on Pop Tarts to help fill up your cart? It sure filled up mine!) you get a coupon on your register receipt that gives you $20 off your $60 purchase at a Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Store. We got 3 pairs of Reebok sneakers and 12 pairs of socks for $64! Also, if you read this and live in Florida…it’s Tax Free Week so shop for deals and steals!
Anyway, back to Spiff…
I could tell he was overwhelmed. It didn’t take long. Spiff has fine motor skill deficits, so lace up shoes present a problem for him. While he can tie his shoes, he gets so frustrated with the process of tying them that he’ll walk for miles without tying them if he can get away with it. He currently has a pair of sneakers that tie, but I have set them up in a way that he can just slip them on and the knot is tucked inside the shoe itself, kind of like the skaters wear their shoes, just laces crossing and no bow. It’s all about trying not to draw attention to his weaknesses.
As soon as he was faced with row upon row of nothing but shoes with only laces; his eyes glazed over. So much so that when asking him to try on a pair we thought he’d like he tried to put the wrong foot into the shoe, and then argued with us when we tried to quietly tell him he was using the wrong foot. This happened several more times during our trip; as if he was just trying to process the fact that he was going to have to tie his shoes in school just stopped all processing thoughts in his brain.
It makes me nervous and wonder how his first day of school is going to be. This will be the first time since he started school that he will be arriving at school on his first day without me (the County ponied up for bus service to our out-of-zone school! Can you believe it?) driving him; and it’ll be his first time at a school where I am not within easy reach if an emergency or a meltdown happens. He’s got a lot of responsibility on his little shoulders, and I’m hoping with all I’ve got that he will traverse the minefields and come out the other side intact.
Our elementary schools use a School Uniform Policy, and now that he is in Middle School, his new uniform is whatever is in style at the moment. His father and I discussed last night that we never played this game very well in our youth; he in Sears Toughskins and me in what my mother could afford or that her JCPenney card would allow. I saved babysitting money for a pair of designer jeans, only to have them cut off me in a freak roller-skating accident that to this day makes me tear up at the memory. But I digress…
I hope we got the requisite stylish clothing so that the kids won’t pick on him. He’s not into his appearance yet, he’ll still walk out the door with uncombed hair and strange color coordination choices if you let him. I hope that with a little help from a friend of his, and what we picked out today, his appearance will be one less thing for the kids to pick on him about.
I’m sure they’ll find other things, though. In fact, I’m certain of it.
And that sucks.
July 26th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Please let me put some of your fears to rest. NO BOY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL EVER TIES HIS SHOES!!!! As a mom it drives me batty, but I pick my battles. Surf shirts, (ie Quiksilver, O’Neill) are the rage for middle school boys, with jeans or jean shorts. ROSS usually has these surf brand shirts. As for jeans, any brand will do, but American Eagle ($60), Hollister($60), and Abercrombie ($80) are what my kids save up to buy. We can discuss all of this at lunch! See you Thursday!
Love ya!
La
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July 26th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
My son can’t tie his shoes either because of motor skill problems…I’ll have to try your trick of rigging them up.
Now if he’d just dump out the inches of sand that’s in them occasionally…..
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July 26th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
In middle school, I just hoped the choice of the day would be CLEAN, not something they picked out of the bottom of the laundry basket. now that they are older, they’ve learned just not to put anything in the dirty laundry, then I can’t yell at them for ‘dirty’ clothes.
and yes, it DOES suck, doesn’t it?
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July 27th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
I have two kids with motor skill issues (among others!) and I hear your worry. Middle school is scary. Sigh… sending good thoughts your way -
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