For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 28, 2013

Having gone through this scenario with my boys for numerous school years, the best thing is to NOT buy him anything and let him wear his grungy stuff when everyone else is sporting new duds. Sooner or later, a cute looking female student will appear and, suddenly, the race will be on to buy cooler clothes.

I remember going shopping for clothes with my Mother. I hated it—no privacy—she was always in ‘the room’ with me, couldn’t wait until I came out. For some reason, she thought that I was going to ‘do something’ to make sure that they didn’t ‘feel right’ or so they ’didn’t look right’. I squirmed because of the ‘sizing’ they used to put in clothes, it made them itch. Before I would wear them, my Mother had to wash every new article of clothing I would get.

Poor thing, how does she expect him to sit on a plane in pants that itch so much!

Yeah, parents seem to think that’s a good idea. Of course, the clothes have stains and holes by the time they “fit”, and the kid has been feeling like a loser for having clothes that look stupid. It’s better to buy second hand clothes in good condition that actually fit.

Don’t forget the degrading and embarrassing crotch tug.

Yeah, I’d leave him alone in the fitting room. At least let him get dressed in peace.

I have three kids, I’m almost 50, master’s degree in psychology and my mom still does to me. So embarrassing. I keed I keed.

Our clothes were either homemade, hand-me-downs, or ordered from the Sears catalog. I didn’t know you could try clothes on in a store until I was an adult – and I still hate to do it!

Let the boy boy wear comfortable clothes on the plane! They were uncomfortable enough even back when this is supposed to be. He is already worried about flying alone, why make him wear “nice” clothes? Oh, you don’t want anyone thinking you’re a bad mother for letting him wear old stuff…He isn’t old enough to fly alone in my opinion.