My kids wear hand-me-downs. I'm sure that's not a surprising statement since my name is Frugal Moore. Still, I'm proud to say, my son is almost a year old, and I have not had to spend a single dime on clothing for him. Indeed, I have family members who are kind enough to buy my poor child some "non-used" items of clothing once in a while, but the majority of his wardrobe is definitely second hand! My daughter is not excluded from the deal either. I'm blessed to have friends with children just a little older than mine, so every time the seasons change, I get a phone call: "hey, I'm cleaning my kid's closet, be ready!" I also do the same thing to friends who have children younger than mine. I wash, fold, and bag it all up, and give it away!
I find it pointless to spend lots of money on kid's clothes, because they outgrow them so fast. Children also tend to be messy (in case you didn't know already) so why buy brand new clothes, if they are just going to trash them?!?
I have always thought that wearing hand-me-downs was normal. I did it growing up. In fact, I still do. (That's not a surprising statement either, right?!) but I have found that, at least in my neck of the woods, most moms don't like the idea of dressing their kids in used clothes.
I'm not criticizing those moms. In fact, I respect their opinion. I believe everyone should have the freedom to choose how they are going to spend their God given money, that's why I live in America. But I also believe there's a misconception about hand-me-downs. Sure, they are previously used items, but it does not mean they are crappy.
I think a lot of parents, mothers especially, buy expensive clothes for their kids because they want them to look their best. They want them to be liked by others. That's human nature. We all want to be liked by others, but there's no freedom if we are constantly worried about someone else's perception of us. Kids are kids, they will always be messy, and no one will judge you if your child is wearing dirty clothes at the park because he decided that rolling down a dirt hill was more fun than doing whatever else you wanted him to do. I've come to the conclusion that as long as my kids are around, there will always be boogers, peanut butter, and dirt somewhere near them. So I choose to be free. I choose to not care about what others may think. I choose to save the money. I choose to roll down the hill with my kids if that's what they want to do.
Sure, I care about my children's appearance, I care about their hygiene too...and although their clothes are hand-me-downs, they are the right size, stain free, with no holes, and some times, even fancy name-brand stuff!!! I'm not going to lie, sometimes they do look homeless with mismatched clothes, but that's only when my husband is in charge of dressing them...Poor guy, he has no sense of fashion!!
Either way, the point of this post was not to judge mothers who like to buy their children new stuff, or to convince anyone that used clothes are cool. What I wanted to write about, actually, was the unspoken rules that go along with the hand-me-down game. So, whether you are new to the game or a veteran, please consider these tips or hints.
* Always ask before giving used clothes to someone, and don't be offended if they say no.
* Likewise, if someone offers you hand-me-downs, it's ok to politely decline if you don't need or want them.
* Never ever give away clothes with holes or stains. If you would not dress your child in it, don't assume someone else will.
* Make sure the clothes are appropriate for the receiver. For example, don't give a one year old boy a size 4t pink sweater. Believe me, it happens!!
* If you don't know anyone who could benefit from your extras, consider donating them to non-profit organizations, such as Waterfront Mission or the Salvation Army.
