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When your closet becomes a free-for-all
I would like to formally apologize to my mother for any pair of shoes I ever borrowed and did not return in a timely fashion.
Because the tables have now turned.
My girls don’t fit into my shoes (yet!), but “where’s my <insert hair product here>?!” has become a common refrain in our house.
Or we hit the motherlode of lip balms and glosses and the like on a Target clearance endcap, we all pick out an item or two we like, and yet when we get home, the bag disappears into one or the others’ rooms and I never do see the items I picked for myself again (OK, I have only officially lost one into the void, but it takes several requests and/or “I put it in your bathroom, didn’t I?” from them until I actually locate it and get to use it).
Even my youngest, who’s limited to lip balms and a very gentle moisturizer for her skin care, gets in on the act. I found a nifty lip balm that has a bit of a tint that changes with your lips’ PH balance. I let her try it. Next thing I knew… “why is this lip balm used up already??”
My husband doesn’t even go unscathed. We went to his college reunion earlier this summer and raided the campus bookstore with his alumni discount. He found a very nice new sweatshirt. He hasn’t worn it yet. Our oldest commandeered it once we got home. Yes, it’s huge on her, “but it’s so comfy!”
Speaking of comfy, the youngest also fell in love with one of my winter pajama tops because it’s “so soft and fuzzy!” It now lives in her room like a stuffed animal or something, because she has claimed it as a comfort object. Yes, even in summer. I’m hoping to steal it back by the time winter arrives again…
And yet, they don’t want to share with each other or have the same clothes or shoes. Matchy-matchy isn’t cool, you know. But stealing… er, borrowing… Mom or Dad’s stuff is cool.
So my advice for any parents finding themselves in similar situations? Buy doubles. And locks for your bathroom and closet.
Also, go apologize to your parents for anything you borrowed or used up as a kid. Balance out your karma.
