Sixty Degrees of Shorts

Schmoogie would wear shorts all year round, if he could.

He would never wear a coat, jacket or even a sweatshirt, if he could.

Silky shorts and t-shirts would be Schmoogie's ideal dress attire every single day, if he could.

On the North Fork of Long Island, we experience varied temperatures of the seasons and all their splendor. Most years, from late April to early October, the temperature tends to be around sixty degrees or more. Sure there are those chilly, rainy April (and May) days, (which seem to be never ending this year) but for the most part, from Spring to Fall, the thermometer tries to reach sixty each day.

Since Kindergarten, when Schmoogie discovered that "Coach," the Physical Educator at his Elementary, wore shorts year round, the negotiations began.

"Why cant I wear shorts in the winter, Coach does?"

"Schmoogie, it's way too cold to wear shorts in December, it's ten degrees outside."

"But Coach wears shorts."

It was at that time, I became my mother.

"You're not Coach, you're Schmoogie, and you cannot wear shorts in the winter."

"That is soooo unfair, then, when can I wear shorts?"

As I reminisced about the soon to come Spring, I said, "In the Spring, when it's warm."

The ever so clever, at the time, Kindergartner replied with, "Well, how many degrees is that, because if I cant wear shorts when it's ten degrees, how many degrees does it have to be?"

"Sixty, sixty degrees to wear shorts, now that's enough, lets talk about this in the Spring."

So, just as soon as the sun makes it's way from behind the miserable clouds of winter, just as soon as that pretty sun peeks her face out onto the North Fork, the question comes, everyday. Every. Single. Day.

"How many degrees is it going to be today, can I wear shorts?"

I used to worry about it, now that he is in third grade, and NEVER, ever show signs of being cold, I have conceded that once that mercury hits 60, it becomes Spring in Schmoogie's world and the shorts come out to stay.

Here we are in May, and he wears shorts to school every day, together with a long sleeve polo (in accordance with the dress code) until the mercury surpasses 60, then it'll be a short sleeve polo.

This morning, after dressing myself in long trousers and a long sleeve blouse, complete with a cardigan for when I get a chill later, I lay out clothes for Noodle, a sweatshirt and sweatpants, with an undershirt. Just then, Schmoogie emerges from his room in his shorts. I just shake my head and continue on.

The boy will not freeze, he is comfortable, I repeat in my hear, over and over.

As I get into my car to make my way to my office, and glance at the digits reading 51 degrees, I shake my head, and again, remind myself that he wouldn't wear shorts every single day if he were cold.

Sigh. If I have learned one thing in my nine years of motherhood, it is to choose your battles, in this case I have chose not partake in a battle.

Peace.