Struggling with Self Expression

I like  to think of  myself as a creative  person. I like  to read and  to write  and I enjoy crafts. I have never been a follower of fashion, but have tried  to wear clothes that I liked , and  that I felt suited me. I am struggling right now though with my middle daughter's desire for self expression.

My youngest likes to wear wellies with almost anything , and sunglasses indoors even on dark days, but  that's  cute in a Boden Catalogue sort of way. It's colourful and expressive and most importantly, reflects well on me as a lovely liberal and cool mum.

Nancy however is a different kettle of  fish. At 4 she is very confident and sometimes downright willful She has expressed her opinions (loudly) since she started talking and likes to choose her own selection of  clothes in  the morning. This  can be problem free - or at least minimal if we chose a dress, what could  go wrong? The problems arise if we go for separates. One day last week she went  to nursery in a pink and purple ethnic printed skirt ( think Monsoon Kids) with a neon pink t-shirt with flamingos on it, and a pair of orange and pink spotty tights, top  this look off with sparkly light up baseball boots  and you will see what I am up against!

The hair is another battle, she has fine wispy hair  that only looks good  when freshly brushed or tied up. One  the pink explosion day in question she wanted to do her own hair and came up with a lovely side ponytail effort, but only using half of her hair  so it looked more like a comb-over  than a "do".

Nancy and her little sister Florence are embarking on their school careers  this month at playgroup and reception year, so I suppose I should be glad of  their self expression as the creativity will be knocked out of  them soon enough when  they get swallowed up by grey and navy school uniforms. I haven't  broken  the news to Nancy yet  that when she get's into "Rainbows" she will be wearing a red track suit, nice.