Prom at the castle | Day 125 of my 2023 Journal

When we booked the world school event at the castle in Normandy, France, we were living in Casa Nina in Sicily, planning the year with our focus on friends.

My daughter was so excited about the idea of a real party with her kind of people.

When the day finally arrived, she did not care that much. She just wanted to hang out with her friends, and I had to convince both teens to get ready before the photo shoot. They were busy talking.

How we dress and why is an interesting topic we have discussed hundreds of times in our family. It can be allabsorbing and too much, and how “not caring” can almost be a style. There is no way around the fact we see each other, and the clothes we wear send a signal about who we are and how we carry life. The art is to know it, do it, and not care too much. To find and apply a strategy and forget about it. At least this is our choice.

As a radical parent, I have always believed in my children's autonomy.

Of course, they can wear their hair and clothes as they like. We have some general rules to prevent misunderstandings in our surroundings: Clean clothes in one piece and brush your hair. Besides that, everyone makes their own choices.

My sons have been wearing dresses. My daughter had a time with only one (ONE) set of clothes she was willing to wear (I seriously washed it every night when she slept). My oldest is an artist and always looks amazing in her crazy wear.

We pick and choose from charity shops, bags other people give us, and regular shops so that we are always comfortable. Living in a van, we all own less than 30 pieces of clothing.

For the prom, my teens dressed up and looked wonderful.

The photoshoot was fun; everyone took a lot of pictures.

More important was the unfolding of the rest of the evening.

Singing along, dancing, hugging, dancing more, and singing more. With all the new great friends they had made, it was lovely to be able to party so hard, they could hardly walk the next day.

Love and light

Cecilie Conrad

# 125 of my 2023 writing challenge - Read them all here