Go stand outside!

So about two weeks ago I was going to the store with Katie. She was wearing a dress. To be more exact, she was wearing a sun dress. A little chilly for the weather, I know but it's warm in the house and she's pretty much the dictator for what goes on while the kids are with daddy. I've come home to find her in a long-sleeve, heavy fabric dress in the summer and her sun dress in the winter and those are just the days when she's actually in "outside" clothes. I've pretty much decided to let it go and call it a draw. (And yes, we've tried to put an outfit in her "tomorrow spot" but if she's not "feeling it" she won't wear it.)

So, back to the store...


Katie didn't want to change out of the sun dress which was my first suggestion. And she sure didn't want to put pants on *under* the sun dress, which was my second, ahem... suggestion.

Finally I decided tough love might be the answer and I unlocked our sliding door and looked at her. She said "what mama?" in that cute *I don't know what you could possibly want from me... I already said I didn't want to put pants on or change my outfit so let's head out already* voice. She had on her shoes and socks and jacket and I ... I told her to go stand outside.

She happily went out and stood by the house. Smiled at me while enjoying the great outdoors. And didn't seem cold at all. Then I figured that standing next to the house wasn't the same as walking into a store so I figured she needed to go out a little more... to really experience the great outdoors.

So I sent her to the farthest part of the deck. She still didn't quite get it. Till I asked her if she was cold. She denied being anything less than cozy and warm but was ready to come in pretty quickly to get her pants on so we could go.

I guess that's "thinking outside of the box."

Mommy - 1, Katie - 0 (at least for now).