Parenting is hard... In the past three years, I've learned that I have to put aside almost every desire that I have and do what's best for my child. This started with my pregnancy. I love lunch meat, sushi and all the things you aren't supposed to eat when you are pregnant (especially beer and margaritas). I didn't consume them - not even once. Okay, I had an O'Douls. I was DESPERATE...

When she was tiny, I went without sleep - a lot. Now, when I'm eating anything, anything at all, she has to have a bite or three or five or the whole bowl. It really sucks when it's the last of something delicious. This happens regularly.

What I'm saying is, I pick my battles and will give up my own desires when I think the outcome will benefit her. I won't let her touch a hot stove or play in traffic. I help her make good decisions... at least decisions that I THINK are good. But, after a discussion with my intern Adrian and WKDQ morning show host, Leslie Morgan, this morning, I am considering allowing her to make more of her own decisions about her wardrobe.

Like most toddlers, my daughter is opinionated and wants to feel like she's in control. There's only so much time I can allow her in the morning to get ready because if left unattended, we'd still be getting clothes on at 5 PM. So, we pick out outfits the night before and lay them out for the morning. As the ritual goes, I laid out two outfits last night and she chose one. This morning, she despised it, me and everything in sight. Mornings stink...

So, she ran in her room and grabbed a purple shirt with a pink, blue and white skirt that belonged to a different outfit. I went in and pulled out the coordinating shorts to the shirt and shirt to the skirt. I let her choose from the two options. But, Adrian and Leslie said I should have let her wear what she picked out. It's her individual taste and she needs to develop that. Other moms told me that they let their kids wear PJs to daycare and school.

This is a HARD one for me because though I have my own sense of style, it's classic. I don't readily buy into trends in my home or in fashion. Yes, I'm boring. So, it's hard for me to let go and let her be wild and crazy. I do not want to squash her creativity or her sense of individuality. She's a person with her own taste and I want her to develop that. I also want her to be confident but toddlers would eat Cheetos and ice cream for breakfast, blow bubbles in the toilet and torture/pet small animals to death if given the opportunity.

So, what do you think? Should you let kids choose their own style or set limitations?

 

 

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