Invisible Socks

My daughter, Meghan, was four years old when she began dressing herself. She had insisted. She had her own style. Mixed plaids and patterns, crazy color combinations – she had a wild (some might argue “artistic”) fashion sense all her own.

It was on a Monday in January. Meghan had dressed herself for preschool that day. According to her teacher, Miss Maureen, Meghan had repeated throughout the day that she was not wearing socks and that it was okay with her mom. Miss Maureen had a rule about wearing socks and Meghan knew it. Miss Maureen told me this when I picked Meghan up that afternoon.

I did not know that Meghan had not put on socks that morning – it didn’t occur to me that she wouldn’t. My casual glance at her ensemble that morning hadn’t disclosed her secret – long pants, a dress, a long-sleeved shirt over her dress and black boots.

The next day, Meghan again dressed herself. We were scheduled for speech therapy at 11:00 that morning. She came upstairs when she was done getting dressed.

“Meghan,” I said, “That’s a very nice outfit you put together. I like it.” Yes, I lied to my child but I didn’t want to stifle her creativity. Looking at the same black boots she had worn the day before prompted me to ask, “Are you wearing socks?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Can I see them?” I didn’t believe her. Something about the lack of eye contact.

“No,” she said.

I was astounded. “What do you mean I can’t see them?”

And my clever little girl responded, “Because they’re the same color as my feet.” ✿