Mars is running out of clothes to wear. It isn’t easy shopping for this first-born child of mine for the following reasons:
(1) She is not your average girly girl. Now, I’m not unhappy about this, but in a country like Pakistan where stores cater only to girly girls, it is a problem. I was a tomboy myself – hated eveything fussy and frilly and would not be caught dead in anything pink. Mars is a lot like that, but a little better. She will wear skirts (which I’d never deigned to wear back in the day, LOL!) and things slightly (keyword being SLIGHTLY) feminine, provided they have an edge. They have to look grungy, shabby chic or retro … they just cannot be prissy and they cannot be, you’ve got it, PINK.
(2) She believes in covering up. This, of course, I’m pleased about. She started wearing the headscarf back when she was 2 going on 3 (not full time). I remember when her aunt told her it was way too hot once when they were going out – it was a sweltering Isloo summer – and told her not to wear the scarf. She cried her eyes out. I had to step in when I heard the commotion and tell the aunt that it wouldn’t harm her and that we shouldn’t stop children if they want to do what’s good. ANYWAY! By the time she was 5, she wore the scarf full time and stopped wearing short-sleeves out of the home (she’d wear them with a long-sleeved T under). These days, she prefers wearing her abayas out. I do want to get some more abayas and long-sleeved blouses tailored for her, but we’ll still need some jeans and Ts though for her outdoor play and “explorations”.
(3) She has odd taste. I should say that she basks in her individuality :P This is a girl who asked me to embroider a skull and crossbones on her bookbag! She looks at skater Ts and grungy hoodies with longing. I had, last year, bought a couple for her that were not masculine and that suited her colour, but we’ve really run out of luck in this department this winter. In Pakistan, you don’t always get a good range – some of the skater Ts and hoodies are garish and downright awful. She has scoffed at the girls’ sections – they have glitter and lace (oh yes, those are out too, didn’t I tell you?), silly captions (“Adore Me!” … “I LOVE to Daaance!”) and just plain horrid pictures.
So what’s a desperate mum to do? Well, I’ve been thinking… The stores these days are selling lots of plain cotton Ts that serve as undershirts – they are long-sleeved and turtle-necked and look quite decent on their own. The fabric is also quite thick and durable. I thought I would buy loads of these for Mars and… EMBROIDER THEM!
Genius, no?
Heh, I actually got the idea from this site which I’d bookmarked ages ago: Made By Joel. (There are LOTS of wonderfully creative ideas for toys and games that you can make yourself so check the site out.)
I’ll look up some urban and funky designs in shaa Allah and give it a shot. I might even applique! I must remember to steer Mars away from her skull and crossbones notions… I might also make some for Bear although she has been fortunate – there are loads of very lovely clothes for kids her age. Well, the dad man did buy a pink T with a crown that said “Princess”. Bear has vowed to cover it up with a very anti-Princess caption. This is all Mars’ influence I tell you… :P
So wonderful to have girls, isn’t it masha Allaah! Great idea and please do come up with more, I may need it in the future and I really do not know what is in store for me….. lol, Thanks for sharing!
Aww yes, alhamdulillah it is wonderful. They are my besties and they are awesome if only because they put up with me! LOL!
MashAllah your site is great!!! I love this idea. I will be browsing your blog for more inspiration.
Jazakillah khayran for visiting :) I’ve just taken a look at your blog – Homeschool Diary – very nice! Ma shaa Allah!
MashaAllah, sis! I admire her for starting to wear hijab from that young age. Did she wear continuously from then or was it on and off? My girl wears them occasionally, but im thinking to be more regular. She is 41/2 years.
Ukhty, do you anything about teaching children songs like twinkle twinkle little star, If you are happy and you know it clap your hands , etc. We just started going to the Library and during story time they sing songs as well. My son said he does not want to clap hands and does not want to sing. I have never really expose him to this type of songs. Im thinking to ask him not to to clap as its mainly for women. Im not sure about the songs, though. Other than these, he love the story time and the craft work after that. Any advise on this?
Jazakullahu khairan!
Umm Mus’ab, when she was 2 or 3, the hijab was not a full time thing, but she did wear it more often than not. She’d always felt shy about wearing shorts, short skirts and such so it was always jeans, khakis and long dresses/skirts. She did still wear some short-sleeved or 3/4-sleeved shirts with the scarf. By the time she was about 5, it was quite a full time thing and she chose to wear only long-sleeved clothes out of the home.
I didn’t force her but she chose to do this – some people here find it hard to believe, which annoyed her to no end :P A man at a park here told me, when she was about 4, “Don’t you think she is a little young for you to be forcing her to wear the scarf?” The nerve… He refused to believe that she did it of her own accord. A lady at a wedding looked at her and said sympathetically, “Oh, she is just a child… why make her do this?” All this coming from Muslims living in a Muslim country! The best thing, the dad man said, is to let the kids answer for themselves.
Anyway, it’s lovely that your daughter is wearing the scarf – she must look adorable :) In shaa Allah she will do it more regularly. My younger daughter who is 6-1/2 is only just starting to wear the scarf full-time. I was almost tempted to ask her to do it full-time as her elder sister had done so much earlier, but I stopped myself. It isn’t mandatory on her yet after all. I did encourage her by getting her some pretty scarves and she loves coordinating outfits so she has been more or less full-time about it the past year.
Oh, you know what? You’ve just made me realise that I’d never taught my kids nursery rhymes LOL! They only learnt about them if they were mentioned in a story and then I would say, “Ohhh, they are talking about a popular nursery rhyme which goes like this…” and I’d just say it out. I don’t blame your son for not wanting to sing and clap – some kiddy activities aren’t very intelligent :P I’m all for play and rambles and such, but other activities like singing and clapping along can make the more mature kids feel quite silly, no? I used to tell Mars (she was an old soul, I tell you) that she didn’t have to sing along when she attended a kids’ masjid programme. She was very participative in every other activity so they knew that she was not being a spoilsport :)