Thursday, March 23, 2023

Patu

It was pajama day here at school, which is a little redundant for many kids who wear pjs to school all the time. Even so, old traditions die hard, and so when they were planning spirit week, pajama day was on the calendar. 

But as I looked around the hallway this morning, I noticed that the kids do actually have a more nuanced view of what constitutes pajamas than I do. Plaid flannel bottoms, a t-shirt, hoodie, and crocs are no longer even considered real pjs; that outfit qualifies as school clothes. This morning bathrobes, slippers, pajama sets, and cozies were all on display. 

"Can I go freshen up?" asked one of my students after lunch. I looked at him, resplendent in his Baby Yoda onesie with a pointy-ear hood, and considered his request, so odd for a sixth grader to make.

"Freshen up, you may, youngling, " I told him.

3 comments:

  1. I agree. Pajama bottoms are considered normal school attire now. I direct our theater program, and we were working on costumes today. We told some of the cast members to wear their own clothes as they were present day teenagers in the play. They want to wear their pajamas (or what we think are pajamas) and we said to wear clothes for school. Hmmm...they looked at us with a puzzled expression.

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  2. I love the paragraph about the student in the Baby Yoda onesie! The contrast between the kid's language and his outfit, the image it brought to mine, the way you worded it--all so great! I also love this line: "I noticed that the kids do actually have a more nuanced view of what constitutes pajamas than I do."

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  3. I wonder what he considers freshening up. A splash of water on his face? A breath mint?

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