Discover the chaos and life lessons of preparing for Spring Picture Day with my tween, Della. From last-minute outfit changes to a race against time with Amazon delivery, this adventure highlights the importance of flexibility, teamwork, and perseverance in parenting.
When Picture Day Meets Prime Delivery: Lessons from a Blue Denim Jacket Adventure
There are a lot of perks to my tweens Della and Emma wearing uniforms to school every day, and the biggest one is how easy mornings have become as far as dressing goes. With so few choices, getting dressed is quick and hassle-free. They get to pick a long- or short-sleeve undershirt and decide whether they want to wear their classroom sweater or skip the jacket altogether. Everything else is standardized. Over time, this routine has become second nature, and the mornings are smooth sailing—except for the occasional birthday dress-down day, which only happens once a year for each child and is a lot of fun!
But then, there’s Spring Picture Day. That one day a year when they get to break the uniform rule! And here’s the funny thing: as I write this, I realize Spring Picture Day always seems to land in January at their school, smack in the middle of winter—even for us folks in the south! Still, it’s a big deal. For the tweens, it’s not just a day to wear something different; it’s an event. Over the years, this day has grown in significance, and now the girls get way more involved in planning their outfits than they ever did before. What’s more, they’re starting to plan earlier and earlier each year, turning what used to be a casual occasion into a full-fledged style celebration!
Despite all their pre-planning, Della came home from school the day before Spring Picture Day this year and informed me that she had changed her mind and absolutely wanted to wear a blue denim jacket over her dress. The thing is…Della does not own a blue denim jacket! Problem solved!- she told me that we could drive to Target and shop for one. She was set on her fashion vision and told me in no uncertain terms that the blue denim jacket would be the centerpiece of her look. [Now is a good time to remind you that I work full time outside the home]. Let me just say this…after getting home after 6:30pm that day due to a very difficult day at work, I was not willing to drive the 20 minutes required to reach the nearest Target, without guarantee that we would find a jacket. I guess I could have looked on the Target app for inventory but this is only now crossing my mind. The truth is that going back out was just not an option in my book that day.
Regardless of how I was feeling, the stakes were clearly high for my pre-teen and despite everything I was feeling, I did recognize the importance of the “perfect” outfit in a tween’s world. So when all else failed: Amazon – the last ditch effort!
We began to browse my amazon app and sorted by items that were available for next day delivery. We found this really cute denim jacket from The Children’s Place. It ranked as a top find and it only came to $19.43 after a 35% off coupon for a medium. The list price is $29.95! What an unexpected deal! Of course $19.43 was not enough to get next day delivery. I explained to Della that in order to qualify for next-day delivery, we needed to spend at least an additional $6, preferably on something we actually needed and would have to purchase eventually. This led to a valuable lesson in the effectiveness of certain marketing tactics. Della recalled that there was a banner for her upcoming birthday party in the cart (a topic we’ve been planning in detail, which I’ll share more about later). We decided to go ahead and buy the banner now, even though it cost far more than $6. This became another teachable moment, as we realized that we would have purchased the banner eventually anyway, making the timing of the purchase more logical despite the higher cost.
After we purchased the items, I explained to her that the delivery window was listed as between 7am and 11am, and the latest she leaves the house for school is 7:30am. She knew there was a risk, and the race against time began!
The Jacket That Almost Wasn’t
Della’s sudden and somewhat random realization the night before that she had to have a blue denim jacket came out of nowhere – and of course, it was a last-minute decision. This threw off her plans, especially since she had already picked out an outfit. It was one of those moments where everything seemed to hinge on this one detail. In our chats, she told me how she had spent her entire recess debating it with a friend at school, emphasizing just how crucial this jacket was to her look.
What stood out to me was that Della’s decision wasn’t driven by peer pressure—her independent spirit doesn’t typically allow for that. Once her mind is made up, though, there’s no shaking it. It’s like a goal locked in place, and nothing can distract her until it’s crossed off the list.
Backup Plans: A Life Lesson
I knew there was a very high chance Girls’ Basic Denim Jacket would not be delivered before we would have to leave for school in the morning so we had a conversation about the importance of being flexible and having a back up plan. I wanted to make sure she would be prepared for either scenario. “Della, I know you’re super excited about this blue denim jacket but have you thought about a backup plan, just in case things don’t go as expected?”. Della shared that she had a good feeling about the jacket being there on time: “I think it’s going to work out”. Seeing that there was a bit of resistance and she was not considering the “what ifs”, I explained that it was a good thing she was so positive and confident about this but sometimes things don’t always go as planned, especially when we have little control over the outcome (for example, the jacket would be packaged by people at the facility, picked up and delivered by a driver whose actions we have no control over). I tried to help her understand that a contingency plan gives us peace of mind and helps us stay prepared. I told her that there was a risk with this late-night online order: the delivery window was mostly set for after she would be in school, and of course the unpredictability of timing. Della agreed! This was a win for me! I thought she would simply revert to the initial outfit as the backup plan but in good tween fashion, she came up with yet another outfit, swapping the denim Jacket for a yellow corduroy jacket that also matched the outfit very well. She prepared two sets of hair accessories and shoes, one for the yellow track and one for the blue denim jacket option.
Delivery Day Drama
The next morning, Della was up at 5 a.m.! Remember that long day I mentioned the day before? I had planned to sleep in until 6am, but of course, Della woke me up in a frantic rush. She wanted to know if I could check on the status of her denim jacket delivery. I reminded her that it wasn’t set to arrive until after 7 a.m. and that we’d have to wait. She showered and washed her hair because the hairstyle she had planned required “freshly washed hair”. In her words, “I have to wash it because it’s the only way the hairstyle will be perfect. It has to be fresh hair.” It was a classic example of her commitment to perfection, a trait that always makes me both proud and amused. While some might think it’s a bit much, I totally get it. She’s determined to get every detail just right, and that includes how her hair looks..when it matters to her. We finished everything early which was another win!
Again, we normally leave the house by 7 a.m. for school, but that day, we couldn’t leave until at least 7:30, the latest we could go and still make it on time. The suspense was palpable, especially since I’d promised Della we’d wait for the delivery until 7:30. As the clock neared 7:10, she became restless, and I found her peering out the front window. I suggested we track the package, and to Della’s surprise, she could follow the driver’s progress on the map. She became hooked. “Mommy, he’s 4 stops away!” she exclaimed. A few moments later, “3 stops away, Mommy. Do you think he’ll make it?” We couldn’t pull ourselves away from the app. I’ll admit, I was just as invested. The suspense was real—now I could see it was actually possible for her to get the denim jacket in time!
Minutes passed, and the tracking changed from “x stops away” to “you’re next!” or something to that effect. Oh my! Della couldn’t contain herself. She started pacing, insisting on having scissors ready in case there was a tag. She grabbed a pair from the junk drawer and placed them next to the phone, where the Amazon app was still open. To be honest, those final moments felt like an eternity for both of us, not just Della. As we watched the driver approach our neighborhood, we suddenly heard the doorbell ring at 7:15 a.m.! We exchanged a confused glance, then Della shouted, “The tracker’s delayed! The jacket’s here!” We rushed to the door, and sure enough, the package had arrived.
From Plan B to Picture Perfect
This was the moment we’d been waiting for – everything finally came together in a burst of relief and excitement! We rushed inside, and with a look of pure joy, she ripped open the package, scissors in hand, ready to dive in. “Double-check for a tag!” she said, and as I held up the jacket, we spotted it. She swiftly snipped it away, and just like that, the transformation began. When she slipped it on, the entire outfit shifted into something spectacular. Wow—it was a total game-changer! The jacket was a hit, and she’d been right all along! And to top it off, the package arrived ahead of our 7:30am cutoff, making it all the more satisfying. The pride we felt, after navigating the chaos together to make it happen, was undeniable. It was nothing short of a triumph!
Life Lessons for Parents: What Picture Day Taught Us About Parenting
Going the Extra Mile for Your Tween’s Happiness
Sometimes, it’s worth putting in the extra effort to make your child’s day special. This means going beyond your comfort zone (like taking that late-night Amazon order plunge) to ensure your child feels confident and supported.
Balancing Preparedness and Flexibility in Parenting
When life doesn’t go as planned, it’s essential to find a balance between being prepared and staying flexible. Flexibility during unexpected moments, like a last-minute fashion request, can turn a stressful situation into a valuable learning experience.
The Importance of Patience and Humor in Parenting Tweens
Raising a tween requires patience, and it helps if you can find humor in the chaos. Whether it’s tracking an Amazon delivery at the last minute or handling an emotional outfit crisis, keeping calm and having a sense of humor makes the journey much easier.
Teaching Your Tween the Value of Teamwork
In moments of crisis, teamwork can save the day. Working together to plan and prepare for big events like Picture Day teaches your tween that collaboration is essential for success, whether it’s tracking a package or deciding on a backup outfit.
Life Lessons for Tweens: What Picture Day Taught You About Adaptability
Backup Plans Are Essential: Be Ready for Anything
Not everything goes according to plan, and that’s okay! Having a backup plan in place helps you stay calm and adapt to changing circumstances. Whether it’s an outfit change or a delayed delivery, knowing you have options can make life much easier.
Adaptability Is Key to Success
Life is full of surprises, and sometimes, you need to roll with the punches. Adapting to changes—whether it’s switching from a blue denim jacket to a yellow corduroy jacket—teaches you that flexibility can lead to unexpected, but wonderful, outcomes.
The Power of Perseverance and Goal Setting
Della’s determination to get the perfect outfit teaches us that setting goals and sticking to them can bring incredible satisfaction. Whether it’s achieving the perfect look for Picture Day or working toward something bigger, perseverance pays off.
Working Together Leads to the Best Results
Teamwork isn’t just for group projects—when it comes to big moments like Picture Day, working together with your parents can make the process easier and more fun. Preparing together and making decisions as a team strengthens your relationship and helps ensure everything goes smoothly.
A Parenting Perspective
Della made it to school on time, rocking her blue denim jacket. She felt confident for picture day. This moment symbolizes the give-and-take of parenting tweens: meeting their needs while teaching life skills. As I reflect on these moments, though stressful, I am reminded that they are part of what makes parenting a tween so rewarding and memorable. So here I go, celebrating the memory as another notch in the belt of parenthood wins.