Jean Reidy

So last Sunday in church I saw “Too Matchy” – a toddler girl dressed from head to toe in this outrageous red floral print from the bow in her hair down to her tights and shoes. My immediate reaction was, “Poor thing.” The girl wasn’t smiling. Okay she may have been just tired, or cranky or bored with sitting still, but looking at that overdone outfit I had to wonder if the bow on her head was digging into her scalp, or if the floral tights were itchy on her legs, or maybe the dress was just too much around her neck. I wondered too if anyone else thought she looked ridiculous if not completely uncomfortable.

Now I admit, I once dressed my girls in the wildest outfits. And I did subject them to a Velcro hair bow or two. Call in Social Services! But for the most part I opted for stretchy and soft over fancy and fussy.

Seeing little Miss Matchy reminded me of the value of perspective, especially with parenting. Time and distance truly grants wisdom – albeit in small doses – and some great writing fodder.

But when I ask “To whom did that amazing outfit matter most?” a writers’ reminder also surfaces. When we write for children, our stories must matter most to kids, not the adults around them. So even though it may be the adults buying the books, the characters, the voice, the theme – in essence, the story – must resonate with kids.

Thinking back to last Sunday, I suspect that “precious” matchy outfit mattered most to mom. And I wonder if little Miss Matchy pulled a Houdini and had those torture tights off as soon as she hit her carseat.

So yes, once again, I was daydreaming in church. But I’ll take it as a some kind of sign – spiritual or otherwise – that the two new babies welcomed that Sunday with the waters of baptism ─ were wearing only their diapers. Free at last!!