Because ponytails are cool

When I was in the fourth grade, my life revolved around Encyclopedia Brown, my two best friends Sherry and Janet, and a boy named Paul. I can remember a lot about that year. It was the year I secretly starting working for Charlie under the alias Kelly Garrett and it was the year I had a very special teacher, Mrs. Bradshaw.

Mrs. Bradshaw started the year as Miss Denard. She wasn't an Angel; she got married during the school year. We were all very excited for her. Every girl in the 70's dreamt of being a bride, finding her prince, and riding off into the sunset on a white horse or in a Gremlin. It took us a while to remember our teacher's new name, but after a while it just came naturally.

Turns out, we were pretty special to Mrs. Bradshaw, too. We were her very first class right out of college. Couple that with the fact that she married the same year, our class was quite memorable. Living in Albany for nearly twenty years, I often ran into Mrs. Bradshaw at the mall. She sort of saw me grow up, entering junior high, high school, and eventually college. Every time she saw me, she remembered my name. That is pretty amazing. I always remembered her too. Now I often wonder where she is these days.

So, it comes to no surprise that my own little girl is quite impressed by her teacher. Mrs. J is young, sweet, and very pretty. She also dresses way cool, so I am told. (I'm a mom. I don't know cool.) Because of Mrs. J, my daughter insists on pants that "come over the shoe" aka flare. She also has started sporting a ponytail.

This is a girl who refused to wear bows, even as a baby. She removed them immediately and if they were in really tight, she would pull herself baldheaded to get them out. I finally just gave up.

Even later, after seeing her friends in ponytails and barrettes, she refused. She liked to "be free." Her hair had to be au natural. No ponytail for her, even if it meant she could be at least ten degrees cooler.

Until now.

Mrs. J has influenced my daughter's sense of style so much that my little girl wanted to spend the money B-Pop gave her on ponytail holders.

Last Friday, Mrs. J came to school dressed in a cute tee with an illustration of children on it. She wore her hair in two ponytails to match. As usual, she looked darling. Since then, my daughter has styled her hair in two ponytails, including today at school. I think it is really sweet and I am glad Mrs. J is a good, Christian influence on my daughter.

And I wish we could have met her oh, about 4 years ago when I was struggling to put my little girl's hair up in the middle of a scorching, Southern summer. We could have saved a lot on our electric bill; we both would have been at least ten degrees cooler.