Lanz and London Fog

Interesting article in the NY Times parenting blog today. Alarmingly, it seems that some mothers actually drive their children to school while wearing their pajamas. Gasp! And, it seems that there are some that take exception to this choice of ensemble. Especially, according to the article, the Brits.




NY TIMES ARTICLE LINK



I NEVER, NEVER wear my pajamas while driving my children to school. I NEVER, NEVER do this when it's my turn to pick up the 3 neighborhood kids on my way there. (Authors Note: "NEVER NEVER" may be defined as occasionally for the purposes of this sentence. Occasionally, could be further clarified to on most days. "On most days" should just be interpreted to nearly every day that I actually drive).



In my defense, I do not wear bright pink negligees when I am driving. That's a pity since I imagine that George the Elder would consider that a capital idea. But, then he'd be wanting to hang around the house waiting for me to come back home in my hot little number just to see me take off my trench coat. He's a man that way. Best we just let him leave for work like he usually does.



Truth is, my Mom was known to throw her London Fog over a decent Lanz flannel to make the journey. I suspect her Mom did the same thing. I suspect that some of your own moms did too. When you have the choice between getting all gussied up (aka dressed) OR spending the moments between arising and leaving by chasing your kids around the house, yelling at them to get their crap in their backpacks, making sandwiches, serving breakfast and threatening bodily harm if they don't brush. their. teeth. NOW!! Well, the choice is simple. Hence the jammies and the baseball cap. If I took the time to get dressed, I would miss out on the chances I have to gently instruct (bellow at) my children in the right way to do things like picking up all their riffraff that they leave lying around waiting for the day-fairy (me) to put away while they are at school ostensibly learning something more important like math. Hmmmph.

I guess if I had to get out of the car and hold their chubby little hands all the way in to the classroom, I might rethink my clothing strategy. But since my consummate role is to herd them in to the car on time (while listening to them bicker about who's got to be there early so they can hang out on the green top with their friends before school starts and DAMN why won't my little brother brush his hair NOW?), drive the 12 minutes to school (while listening to one or the other whine about the fact that they have Spanish or Science or Whatever today), pull up in front of the school, listen to doors slam and then drive (speed) away - I'm think I'm appropriately dressed for the job.