Letting the kids be themselves

As the kids are growing up, they're figuring out who they are, and I'm figuring out how to let them do that. For instance, when I took Amy back to school shopping, I realized that she really doesn't have any interest in being particularly "in style" - she just wants to wear black leggings and a graphic t-shirt. Couldn't even talk her into other colors of leggings, or maybe leggings with a pattern to them. These are the shirts she picked out. You could argue the one on the left is stylish (the plaid button-up), and it is....but she wore the Batman shirt on the right underneath it. She likes the things she likes (Harry Potter, and a new-ish obsession with super heroes), even if others around her aren't into the same things. (She'd also really love to find a friend who's into the same things she is, though.) She's comfortable with who she is, and that is so very very awesome.

I found this in Kohls when he was
shopping with me, and he said he'd
wear it. If he hadn't been there...
not so sure.

And Reed. I used to be able to buy him shirts with funny sayings on them, and he loved wearing them. No more. Now, he'll still wear a shirt like that, but only if he's picked it out. Wanda bought him a few silly shirts for back to school, and he will not wear them. I guess he really wants to only express his own sense of humor....fair enough!