On some days, I have this nightmarish vision of a just retribution against me. As parents, we try to optimize money expenditure while our children are growing. For families with parents who have experienced atrocious childhoods in uncivilized land under evil parentage themselves, it often is comfortable, for the parent, to buy larger than fit clothing items for children to maximize duration of utilization per dollar spent.

What? The jacket drags on the ground? That’s fine!

What? you tripped on your shoes because it is far longer than your foot? You’ll get use to it, TWO years is plenty of time to get used to them.

What? Underwear too tight? Socks cutting into flesh? Belly button showing under t-shirt? but I can’t see it, you have to complain several months before I do anything about it.

In a few years’ time, the sons and daughters hopefully will be intelligent enough to understand that these unnecessary sufferings could have been prevented by having a better parent. Perhaps they will say to us:

Mom, Dad, I bought a coffin for both of you, don’t worry about the size, you won’t feel it when we stuff you in there. You’ll grow into it.