Wear Your Coat

There is a winter storm warning today for the Pacific Northwest. Seems like a perfect time to wear hat, gloves, coat, boots...the winter uniform. Not so apparently with anyone under oh, 20? I love to drive by our college campus and snicker at the bare bellies and flip flops still showing this time of year. I have lived in Minnesota, I know all about frost bite. These kids think it is just a nasty rumor. My oldest daughter likes to join in and make fun of frost bit belly buttons, but today I told her no more!

You should have seen the look she gave me when I suggested that she actually wear her snow boots. She was headed out the door in a very cute pair of black flats with no socks. The temperature I reminded her was 5 degrees. "I don't have recess," was her response. "What if I drive into a snowbank and we have to walk home?" I asked. "I"ll have them in the car," she responds again. "Put them on, now," my final word.

What is the deal? Am I that crazy to expect a little less back chat when I ask them to wear a coat when we are approaching 0? It seemed like love in action to me. They were not feeling the love this morning. They did get out the door with boots, hats, gloves, and coats. So if the school calls and says they don't have them I know who to talk to.

I am sure that I gave my Dad similar grief. Although I do remember one year asking for snow boots for Christmas, really. It was a cold December and my Dad was the kind who put the presents under the tree before Christmas. He wrapped them in paper bags and duct tape under the pretty wrapping after he found out that I would open them and re-wrap them when he was gone, but that is another post. I knew there were boots under that tree so I asked if I could open them early. His brow furrowed and he told me if I could find them I could open them. I picked up a couple of boxes, shook, poked and chose. I was right, and I wore them all winter. I wasn't so silly. I'm just glad Dad doesn't have a google account so he can't comment : )