School Portraits: Bringing Out The Best In All Of Us

I don't know why I think that any year will be any different. As a child, I don't remember having any problems on picture day. I wanted my mom to do my hair all cute and perfect. I wanted to wear something that would really look good in a picture. I absolutely LOVE most of my school pictures. As a mother, it's a whole different story.

I wonder if I was as big a problem to my mom on those mornings as my children are to me. I wonder if my bliss was only in my mind.

As a rule, I try not to purchase clothing for my children that I don't want to see them wear. Somehow we always manage to have some items that they just "had to have" and I just roll my eyes and take a deep breath. Eventually, the "coolness" of the item wears off and it ends up in their drawer as other favorites emerge. Unfortunately, Picture Day is the day they decide to re-favorite the ugly item. It's usually a shirt that doesn't fit as well as I'd like it to, or a color I don't want photographed or a logo that just looks tacky, all of which are no-no's for my allowances on School Pictures.

I usually win this battle, because, I'm the mom. I overrule and no matter how much whining is involved, they decide they'd rather wear it tomorrow than never.

Hair is a whole other story. My children would just prefer a candid shot. What, I didn't want to take a shower this morning, no big. I don't really feel like brushing it all out, so I'll just brush a small part...that'll do. My hair always falls in my eyes right here, and that's the way I want it for the picture, that way. Unfortunately I only humor the children and their opinions on casual days. Picture days, they're going by my rules. Hair brushed, even slightly curled and styled for the girls (CURLS!!! AAAAHHHH....NO!!) For the boy, brushed, evenly gelled and properly "re-messed". None of this learning as we go junk will fly on picture day, so I usually end up with a battle, even though they know what's coming.

This year we did have some improvement. It's taken 8 years, but Alex only put up a slight fuss when I wanted to oversee the hair. Aimee didn't want her hair curled, but quietly resigned. Both of them chose a decent shirt without supervision in order to avoid my telling them to go change.

Poor Allie is just starting. She wore the shirt that she wanted for pictures on the previous day because she insisted she could just wear it both days. I went along with it, but when I tried to curl her hair (well, volumize, really...not curly, just not straight), she threw the biggest fit imaginable...and kept it up pretty much all morning. She also pulled the curls out in an attempt to straighten them.

So, although I have liked most of the school pictures in years past, this year might finally be the one that is evidence of the power struggle that is Picture Day. At least down here, we get a second chance and the "fun" pictures for spring where they are photographed in front of a green screen and can choose from a variety of fun backgrounds. Hopefully I can prepare better for the spring and get it all compromised before hand.