For my writer's group assignment this week, I was given the prompt "gone". That could take me any number of places in my cluttered brain, but I decided to just spout off a little. I feel like I'm standing alone on an issue and maybe someone out there can just help me understand!
Because I feel like something is definitely missing these days. Like a sense of propriety.
When I told my psychologist-brother what's been bugging me, his response was "your age is definitely showing"! I put a status on Facebook last week on the subject which drew pretty much the same kind of response.
So what IS it? OK, simply stated: I just don't GET the need for pajamas in public. A week or so ago I was at Panara, for example. In walk three teenaged girls with who appeared to be a mother. The three were all dressed in flannel pj's and fluffy slippers. Beside the point is the fact that we were experiencing near-zero temperatures, snow and ice. I can't even imagine walking to my mailbox in slippers of any description. (Do they wear these same slippers around their homes after they have been trudged through dirty snow in parking lots?)
Then last week, my granddaughter's Christian Pre-School featured "pajama day". All the little boys and girls were to wear their favorite pj's, bring their blankeys and stuffed animals, and watch a movie together. This happened exactly one day after she and I had our first "purity" discussion which was hard enough to do on a 5 year old's level. We talked about things like modesty in public...
Now before everyone pounces on me about the innocence and fun of pajama parties for children, please understand I am ALL about children having fun. Anyone who knows me in the slightest knows I put my heart and soul into all kinds of fun activities for the littles in my charge, and even neighbor kids. I used to love going to slumber parties at a girl friend's house when I was young. And it was all girls and in a home, and closely supervised I might add. We had a screened front porch on our house, and we used to love to have sleepovers there in the summer. The boys and girls took turns.
I'm just wondering why we need to blur the lines of what is for public consumption and what, in my humble, old-fashioned opinion, should remain in the privacy of one's home. I did some checking and other private Christian schools in the area also participate in the current fad of having children (and in the case of my granddaughter's Pre-School, teachers too) wear their nightclothes to school. I know it is done in the public schools as well. I guess I naively thought that there might be a slightly higher standard imposed at a Christian school, or ANY private school for that matter. I mean, SOMEONE is paying for this kind of "education".
There are so many areas in our society-at-large where lines have been blurred, especially in the morality department. I'm not going to take the time to list the examples that are going through my mind right now. So does this start in Pre-School? Common sense might ask that question. And where does it end?
Our local zoo frequently sponsors overnight events where the kids are invited to sleepover in their pajamas...with strangers. I just saw an article where a local breast cancer awareness group had a "pink pajama party". Borders offers Polar Express pajama parties for the public. I'm serious, I just don't GET IT.
I'm not against pajama parties. My hubby and I had a pajama party last night. It was Valentine's Day and he was doing some ministry at the church, helping people in employment transitions, after a long work day of his own. I knew it would be very late when he got home and he would be exhausted. So I decided to surprise him. I cleaned our bedroom up, lit a bunch of candles, filled the soaking tub, set out clean jammies and towels, gave him supper in bed, complete with wine and chocolates. He loved it. I in my flannel nightgown and he in his flannel pj's, snuggled up on a long winter's night. It was wonderful. Just the two of us relaxing together. Just the way it should be. And no, there are no photos.
4 comments:
I don't quite get all of the pajamas in public places either. However, it is not one of my soapbox issues, especially with gradeschool age children. My grandson in kindergarten just had a pajama party at school. It was cute watching him decide which pajamas to wear. They did not take stuffed animals or blankets but had popcorn and water during a storytime. Most of the pajamas are less revealing than other clothes worn by teens so it is just not a hotbox issue for me. My own grown up children run to Panera in the am to pick up bagels for the whole family when they are visiting. The first time I was surprised but really they are just flannel pants with a t-shirt and usually covered by a jacket of some kind. That did sound like a romantic, fun and lovely evening for you and your hubby. Good for you.
I could so have written what you feel, but maybe not as well. I am so adverse to pj's being worn in public. It shows just one more standard being dropped. And slippers! Come on!! Is it so terriby hard to put on clothes? It must take all of a few minutes. To me it shows, and this will offend many...laziness. We're the benefit in that? Pajama parties in school? Not necessary, have a movie day in sweats.
I don't like to put the tag of "showing our age" on it. I much more see it as decline in self pride.
Now you've got me on my soap box!!LOL! I just see American and Christian standards dropping and once they drop, they rarely rise again.
Blurred lines and laziness...never help our kids esteem themselves or others.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts dear friend. ((HUGS))
Oh I so agree with you!!!! I don't understand the pj's in public or even the slippers and I've been known to say something to some of the teens in church who show up in them! When both my children had "pajama day" in school, not only preschool but grade school, I insisted that they wear sweat pants; something they never to school. I was that "mean mom" that day. I didn't approve of them walking to the bus in their slippers either and made them wear their sneakers.
You said it perfectly. I guess I'm showing my age as well!
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