Camille was headed on a field trip to the zoo this morning, and the instructions from school emphasized practical, weather-appropriate clothing and sneakers or tennis shoes. I was anticipating trouble from Camille, who likes her footwear pink, bare, and sock-free. I was so sure she’d resist that I followed her upstairs and started searching for the socks myself.
To my surprise, she pulled out the gnarliest pair of hiking shoes (blue and green) she owns, still slightly stained with red mud from summer camp last year.
“Are you sure you want to wear those, honey?” I asked.
“Yes, Mommy,” she said seriously. “There might be elephant poo.”
So she wore them. With pink socks.
