Impressed

Open House was tonight. I always worry about the impression we give off as parents. Are we too lenient in not beating the boy every time he interrupts as we’re trying to talk to someone? Are we too strict, threatening to spank him if he gets out of line? Do we toe the line by saying more or less? Does the teacher look at us and think to herself, “Oh, well that finally makes sense!” about his behavior? (As an aside, I’ve had this particular “Ah ha!” moment many times.)

I think, in the grand scheme of things, I’ve found my counterbalance for the worry, though. At the school tonight, we met Harrison’s teacher and then he showed us around the campus. We saw the computer room, the music room and where he sits in the cafeteria (any of the seats that don’t have pink paper taped to them—they sit boy-girl-boy-girl, I guess to avoid any boy-boy-boy misbehavior).

As we were leaving the school, one of the other parents walked past us. Now, I’m typically not a judgmental person. As a larger girl, I don’t like to cast aspersions on another person’s weight, especially another woman’s. We have enough people telling us we’re not society’s ideal and so I tend to be a live and let live kind of gal. But this girl was not small. Nor was she wearing a bra. She was,  however, wearing a very snugly fitting pair of pants and a one shouldered snug black stretchy top. The entire outfit was finished up with a pair of platform sandals at least three inches tall.

Any worries about not being a good enough parent went right out the door with this woman’s camel toe and muffin top.

I kind of wish I had taken a picture.

I don’t judge her for wearing that outfit, in general. If that’s what makes her happy, more power. But you know? When you’re heading up to meet your kid’s teacher and principal and the parents of his or her classmates, is the one shouldered top that is two sizes two snug the right choice? Was it laundry day? Was everything else she had to wear in the washing machine? Was she wearing it, Scarlett O’Hara-style, because her husband had accused her of cheating on him and he wanted the entire town to see her looking that way?

I wish I had been a fly on the wall when that ensemble choice was made.

But then, I really don’t.