Avoiding the Pivot
Anybody else have or spend a lot of time with a toddler? Where the only thing that’s consistent is inconsistency? Sometimes my three-year-old is the absolute epitome of a difficult client. Hard to please. Says one thing one day and a different thing the next…There’s a lot of whiplash. It’s all fueled by love, I tell myself . . . :) Anyway, I’m learning to go with the flow and more gracefully embrace “the pivot”. The inevitable change in plans. To get creative and figure out an alternate solution. Because when it comes to parenting a toddler, logic and reason don’t stand a chance. Even though I’m clearly talking kids and parenting in this post, the content can relate to working with difficult personalities that, lucky for you, have a higher chance of being managed if a good process is in place.
Now, it’s important that I mention that I quite enjoy Halloween and dressing up. I didn’t regularly celebrate the holiday as a child — long story — so I lean into its festivities a lot now. One way I do this is by almost always making my own costumes. For me, this is my moment to take part in the “unconventional materials” challenge on an episode of Project Runway that literally no one is watching . . . It’s really just a fun way to express my creativity through other mediums. So, the end of Octobers around here are pretty hectic and tend to involve several panicked trips to Michaels, the use of a lot of fabric tape and, of course, exhaustive experimentation. Even better, ever since having my little one almost three and a half years ago (time flies…ahh!) we’ve been dressing up in either matching or thematically related costumes!
Some of the ways we’ve celebrated Halloween in the past. From top left. Angry dressed up cat. 🐈 | Me as a garden🪴nymph pre-baby! Costume created by me. | Piper’s first Halloween 🎃 as Alice in Wonderland and me as the Queen! Costumes created by me. | The wig situation turned out great, but it was the most difficult piece to make. | Semi-tolerant dogs as 🦞 lobster and mummy. Store bought. | Piper as a 🦝 raccoon. Costume made by me. | Mama and baby 🦝 raccoons. Making the tails was fun! | Minnie 🐭 Mouse .. This one was from Etsy. | The whole fam! | 🍪 Cookie decorating is another outlet for creative experimentation I’d like to get better at, too! | Owl 🦉costume. NOT BY ME. This was from a year she had two costumes and kept pulling her raccoon tail off, so she was dressed like this for half the day. Too cute not to share. | School bus 🚌 and Mummy take on the neighborhood with embarrassed hubby who knows it’s in his best interest to play along. :)
This year though, I’m tired. Especially with the launch of Greater Than, I decided to try to cut myself some slack by buying Piper’s costume instead of putting hours into making it. But alas, as you can see from the image below, that’s just not in the cards. By the way, I finally pulled the trigger on ordering her this costume after a week straight of her consistently answering that she wanted to be a ghost. Earlier this month, her answers changed daily. A bat, cat, detective, fairy, and star balloon (?) were all on the table. We really thought her mind was set on the ghost situation . . .
A screenshot of me pleading with a very gracious Etsy seller about cancelling a made-to-order ghost costume Piper had been super excited about wearing this Halloween.
So, I’ve got to pivot! And, last I checked, although it could still change, some form of the image below is what should be hitting the streets of Golden Valley, Minnesota at dusk this chilly Sunday, October 31st. And I haven’t even begun gathering materials yet. Or figured out how we’re going to stay warm or walk comfortably while trying to navigate a Covid-safe trick-or-treating scenario. Plus, what if a balloon pops and terrifies us or other children? Globophobia is a real thing! I don’t want to be responsible for more than one child’s fragile emotions or ending someone’s evening early. But, I’ve got to put my big girl pants on and make it happen! So, here we go! It’s October 25. I’ve got this!? Right?
Image above sourced from StyleMePretty Blog. Photo by Ruth Eileen Photography.
Luckily, it’s easier to rationalize with an actual client — however difficult they may be — than it is a toddler. So, if anything, do remember the importance of putting a good process in place as you work with others — from concept to completion. Do everything you can to get a clear picture of the targeted outcome. Are we 100% sure that’s a ghost? :) Collaborate early and often. Find an agreed-upon vision, vibe, and visual style to ground the project through mood boarding options. Reminder here from a couple of months ago: mood boarding is not just a fun exercise. It has a really valuable purpose! It keeps both parties on the same page through visual examples, which makes it harder to interpret things differently. This tends to make for a smoother ride with a much clearer end destination. Disclaimer though. There are some adults out there who have yet to leave their toddlerhood behind, and if they’re making your life truly miserable, ask yourself if the project is worth it. Sometimes it’s best to sever ties to preserve your sanity. AND, always have a kill-fee or cancellation fee as part of your contract, too, so you at least get paid something if either party pulls out of the project.
Ok, off to Michaels now! Wish me luck!
