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SeaStar
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| Posted: Sept 26 2006 at 9:00pm | IP Logged
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Letter to the editor in my local paper today:
A man writes in complaining that his daughter isn't allowed to wear her expensive "frayed" jeans to middle school because they are forbidden in the dress code. He says that, as he is learning, it is very , very important for preteens/teens to have the right clothes, and she has five pairs of these expensive jeans and she should be allowed to wear them. He says is it closed minded of the school board to forbid these jeans. He says the kids should be taught not only reading and math, but that they can also have a sense of style while learning, which is very important. He goes on to say he has taken legal action against the school board so that his daughter will have the right to wear these jeans. And the topper- he is urging other parents to band with him and stand up for free dress at school (so that their freedom will not be violated).
Maybe just an isolated parent? Maybe not. A good friend of mine sends her dd to a private school. Thus year for the first time the whole school is required to wear uniforms. Why? Last year a group of girls started a "Lily" club. To be a member of this club, you had to wear nothing but clothes by Lily Pulitzer all the time. This was dividing the school into "haves" and "have nots"- causing quite a problem, as Lily Pulitzer is a very expensive brand here. Who started the club? Girls in the PRESCHOOL. Translated- mommies of the girls in the preschool, since not many ps girls can go to the store and pick out clothes by themselves.
This scares me. I feel more and more as if my generation is more interested in picking out baby names, gear and clothing than it is in taking care of their kids. In my area most kids go to preschool at 2-3. Then it's off to however many enriching activities can be crammed into a day so that someone else is responsible for taking care of the kids.
Is this just my area? Or is this just average American parenting today?
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Sept 26 2006 at 9:58pm | IP Logged
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I don't know where you live (missed your intro) but it could be just your area to some extent. I have moved around a bit and I found that hyper-focus on style, fashion, etc to be very prevalent when I am in S. Florida, but almost non-existant here in Western NC. I think it boils down in part to people with "more dollars than sense" but also a lifestyle choice. Folks here are just more relaxed in general than down there (with the obvious exception of Jennifer and her crew!LOL!). In fact, all of my husband's extended family lives in S FL and I find them to be much more focused that way. Designer swimsuits, purses, shoes, you name it. Around here if it didn't come from Wal-mart then it must be your church clothes!
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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Patty LeVasseur
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| Posted: Sept 26 2006 at 10:34pm | IP Logged
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lapazfarm wrote:
Around here if it didn't come from Wal-mart then it must be your church clothes!  |
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Theresa, this is so funny. I live in Southern Virginia and when I got here I was so surprised to see there was no Target here. When I mentioned it, someone asked me what a Target was. I told him it was like Wal-mart only better. He thought for a second and then said, "I can't imagine anything better than Wal-mart."
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Patty
mom to four blessings
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Sept 27 2006 at 6:28am | IP Logged
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Patty LeVasseur wrote:
lapazfarm wrote:
| Around here if it didn't come from Wal-mart then it must be your church clothes! |
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Theresa, this is so funny. I live in Southern Virginia and when I got here I was so surprised to see there was no Target here. When I mentioned it, someone asked me what a Target was. I told him it was like Wal-mart only better. He thought for a second and then said, "I can't imagine anything better than Wal-mart."
Patty |
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That is so funny! It's all in perspective, isn't it?
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marihalojen
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| Posted: Sept 27 2006 at 10:43am | IP Logged
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lapazfarm wrote:
| I found that hyper-focus on style, fashion, etc to be very prevalent when I am in S. Florida, but almost non-existant here in Western NC. I think it boils down in part to people with "more dollars than sense" but also a lifestyle choice. Folks here are just more relaxed in general than down there (with the obvious exception of Jennifer and her crew!LOL!). |
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I'm just rolling so funny!
So true though. I bought a cheapo dress on sale out of our one clothing store here that is not Kmart, and my friend's husband was able to identify it as soon as I walked in the door - oooh nice BCBG! I was totally lost, excuse me???
So I pulled the screen goddess line - this old thing? Why, honey, you're too sweet!
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~Jennifer
Mother to Mariannna, age 13
The Mari Hal-O-Jen
SSR = Sailing, Snorkling, Reading
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kingvozzo
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marihalojen wrote:
| my friend's husband was able to identify it as soon as I walked in the door |
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This reminds me of high school. One girl knew not only what store clothes were from, but from what collection! 
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Noreen
Wife to Ed
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: Sept 27 2006 at 11:41am | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
Letter to the editor in my local paper today:
He says the kids should be taught not only reading and math, but that they can also have a sense of style while learning, which is very important. He goes on to say he has taken legal action against the school board so that his daughter will have the right to wear these jeans.
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What upsets me the most about this letter to the editor is not only that it's a parent stating these views, but that this is his articulated parenting philosophy. Yikes! It's pretty scary to think that this man has actually thought this through, and this is what he's come to believe?
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Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: letter to the editor in today’s paper
