I can remember when I had just my Zoe, and had the time and discipline to match the paci, to the outfit, to the socks, to the bow. She was always ready for a photo op. Now, I am lucky if my kids get out of the house in something other than a tutu or pajamas, or any clothing at all really, as they often dress (or don‘t dress) themselves, and they may have inherited their mama’s style gene, which is not an example of forward evolution. I tell myself this drastic, and sad, sad, change in my children’s style is an example of my growth and evolution in parenting. I am building their self-confidence, by allowing them to make their own choices. They are becoming autonomous, as they build self-help skills. It is self-expression. And it is true! I have read the studies to prove it. However, sometimes I wonder if those researchers were really just overwhelmed parents, giving themselves an excuse for why their kids were looking like a hot mess. Hopefully all of this self-expression will build their confidence up high enough to help them battle against the inevitable playground insults they will one day endure, when their peers finally realize that a fluorescent green Tinkerbell t-shirt, worn inside out, with leopard tights and sandals is not necessarily a confidence-building look…at least not for their mama.