The other day I gave my girls manicures and pedicures, much to their delight. This may not sound too unusual for the mother of two girls, but if you know me, then you know that it is a rare occurrance and a completely sacrificial act. I am what you would call, low-maintenance, at least when it comes to primping. That is to say, I can be ready in 15 minutes. Or at least, that used to be the case.

Later that same day we were trying to get out the door and it took over an hour and a half to motivate my girls into putting on clothes, brushing their teeth and combing their hair. Partly, I suppose, because they are hard to motivate in general. But partly because now I have to get 3 people ready before I can go anywhere. Used to be I'd roll out of bed, throw on my jeans, brush my teeth, throw my hair in a pony tail and be on my way. But gone are the days of speedy exits.

Now everything is painstaking. And I fear it will only get worse the older they become. I mean, if it's this hard to get a 3 and 7 year old ready, imagine the time they will spend in front of the mirror once they're teenagers. Sometimes I wonder whose children they are. I mean really, frilly dresses, nail polish, playing with make-up? That is not my modus operandi and never has been. But to each her own—I don't want to stifle their personalities, as different from mine as they may be. And who knows, there's still a small chance they'll grow into tomboys, right? Think of all the money I'll save on clothes and hair products if someday they're content to shop the Goodwill with me, all while sporting a pony tail.