Dad prevents morning meltdowns with adorable nightly outfit presentations to his daughter
“It’s the fact she has him presenting like it’s shark tank 🦈✨."
When your dad is also a stylist...
Preschool power struggles aren’t fun for anyone involved. But the morning meltdown over clothes is its own circle of parenting hell.
Between dealing with every fabric under the sun triggering sensory issues to having to explain for the millionth time that, no, a tutu, a princess crown and a Supergirl cape does not constitute as an outfit to never, ever ever ever finding matching socks…it’s a miracle that every parent doesn’t just let their kids run around naked.
But one dad has successfully thwarted outfit anxiety with his nightly presentation of outfit options for his five-year-old to choose from for the following day.
Is it adorable? Absolutely. But more importantly, it’s effective.
In a clip posted to TikTok Cindy Camponovo, we see her husband playing personal stylist to their young daughter, laying out the details of each look.
There’s “pink and flower power girl” with matching Nikes, “Polo prep with matching navy loafers,” “a beautiful pearl option with Barbie,” and last but not least, a “cool kid on the block with skinny jeans, BAPE sweater and matching red shoes.”
“It’s the fact she has him presenting like it’s shark tank 🦈✨,” one person joked.
The pretend client perused through her curated ensembles before selecting “pink and flower power girl.” They then shake on it, thus sealing the deal.
“And you're going to lock it in? So no arguing in the morning guys?” Camponovo asks.
“No, no arguing tomorrow morning. Okay. This is recorded for quality assurance, okay?” her husband quips. Seems like all crises are averted.
@cindycamponovo What my husband does every night because their morning tears & arguments about school outfits scarred him #pickingoutfits #preschool #girldad #outfitideas #fypシ ♬ Cena Engraçada e Inusitada de 3 Minutos - HarmonicoHCO
Over 1.2 million people have seen Camponovo’s video, and countless viewers left comments in praise of her husband. For his creativity, his sense of style and for being a great girl dad.
“Wait he chose really cute outfits!!” one person wrote.
“She looked like she relishes the attention. She is loved and adored,” another wrote.
Another added, “Holy heck talk about doing it right mom and dad.”
And of course, nearly everyone was wondering if Camponovo’s husband was taking on other styling clients. He’s clearly got a knack for it.
While clothing tantrums are aggravating, they are completely normal. According to psychologist Dr. Jim Taylor, clothing is often a child’s “first declaration of independence and first assertion of their own unique personalities.”
But the good news is: there are ways to help avoid the drama. If playing personal stylist doesn’t appeal to you, Today.com suggested the following:
-Taking a photo of your child’s favorite outfits and creating an album for you to peruse together for choices. This
-Investing in an efficient organizing system like a days-of-the-week organizer, which can allow you to choose outfits a week ahead of time.
-Creating a reward system for when kids get dressed quickly and without a tantrum. Who doesn't love rewards?
-Putting your own favorite clothes on top of the dresser, so they’re easier for your little ones to spot.
-Creating a “menu” of ideas,” which gives leeway for kids to be a part of the decision making process.
…honestly, these are good ideas both for parents with choosy kids, and for grown adults with too many clothes. (i.e., me.)
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Kurt Cobain, the patron saint of Gen X. 
Communications expert shares the 7-word phrase to shoot down anyone being disrespectful
Try this method next time someone says something rude.
A woman can't believe what she just heard.
Getting caught off guard by a rude comment from a coworker, family member, or total stranger can throw you for a loop. You immediately start wondering how you should respond. Should I insult the person right back or play it cool without stooping to their level? Everyone is going to be thrown by a disrespectful comment at some point, so it’s good to have a response in your back pocket for that moment when it comes.
Communications expert Jefferson Fisher provided a great response that we can all use recently on the Mel Robbins Podcast. Fisher is a Texas board-certified personal injury attorney and one of the most respected voices on argumentation and communication in the world. He is also the bestselling author of The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More.
How to respond to a rude or disrespectful comment
Fisher told Robbins that the first step in responding to the comment is nonverbal. You say nothing. “A lot of silence. So often, if you just wait 10 seconds that you're gonna add distance between what they said and how you're going to respond,” Fisher said. “They're saying this to get something out of you, cause in that moment, they're feeling something, whether it's a fear or an insecurity, whatever it is, you're not going to deliver on that same plane that they are.”
The next step is to let the rude person know that their behavior will not be tolerated in a confident manner.
“So somebody says something disrespectful, you give enough silence to make sure that it's a little awkward, and then you're going to say something to the effect of, ‘That's below my standard for a response.’ All of a sudden, you're now making it clear that what you just said was beneath me. And I don't respond to things that are beneath me in that way.”
Throw it back on them
If you prefer to put someone back on their heels instead of squelching the situation as Fisher recommends, John Bowe, a speech trainer, award-winning journalist, and author of I Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in the Age of DisconnectionI Have Something to Say: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking in the Age of Disconnection, says that you should respond with a question: “Do you really mean that?”
“Say it with outrage or dripping sarcasm, with raised eyebrows or deadpan calm. It doesn’t matter. This phrase is quietly disarming and deceptively powerful,” Bowe writes for CNBC. Bowe says the response does two great things for you. First, it gives them a chance to reconsider their words because most rude comments are said without thinking. “By responding with curiosity instead of defensiveness, you’re holding up a mirror. Often, that’s all it takes for the other person to walk back their offense,” he writes.
After the person is asked if they meant what they said, they can double down on their rude comment, but they are probably more likely to backpedal or apologize.
Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life that, unless you live under a rock, you’ll have to deal with people making rude comments. But the best thing you can do is to prepare yourself to confidently put someone in their place so they’ll think twice about ever being rude to you again.