Cute Kids vs Cute Mom

It is amazing how little extra time it takes to make kids look especially cute. For a girl, a regular routine includes bathing, dressing, combing their hair, and pulling it back with a hair band or clip so that it doesn’t hang in their face. Making sure they look especially cute only involves putting cute clothes on them and adding a matching bow to their hair, which takes about additional 3 seconds. For a boy, all that needs to be done to be extra cute is putting cute clothes on them. No additional work is involved.

For me, a regular routine involves taking a shower, getting dressed, applying a little make-up, and throwing my hair up in a clip. If I have somewhere special to go or want to look better for some reason, that involves showering earlier so my hair will dry a bit more before styling it, which takes half an hour for this humid climate. I also have to try on several outfits to find one that is the most flattering for my less than perfect body. All in all, I probably need an extra HOUR to get ready.

By now, you have probably realized that my kids always looked put together and me – not so much. I am not trying to say that I am a slob or anything, just that the extra effort (full make-up and salon styled hair) isn’t part of my daily routine. I have met quite a few stay-at-home moms around here that don’t have my philosophy though. They obviously make the effort to look their absolute best every day (with too much make-up for my taste).

I wouldn’t be mentioning this on my blog, except that their kids look like little ragamuffins. Why would anyone buy expensive designer clothes for themselves and Kmart special for their kids? I always thought a family should be on the same or similar budget. It isn’t about spending money though; it is about picking out cute clothes. Why would a mom have perfectly styled hair when the kids look like they rolled out of bed? I should note that I am talking about kids under the age of 3.

Maybe it is just me. I put in enough effort to look presentable and take a few additional seconds to make sure my kids look cute. It is just so easy.