macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Post by macca on Apr 21, 2006 17:22:29 GMT -5
It has NEVER made sense to me. The Pikes condoned the triplets being constantly mean to Nicky, Claire running around naked, Adam eating popsicles for breakfast etc but they sternly monitor and control Mallory's clothing?
It would make sense if they were trying to save money - glittery stuff isn't overly practical and unlikely to remain in fashion, so Vanessa would be reluctant to wear the hand-me-downs. However, Mallory was always prepared to pay for the stuff out of her babysitting money, so what's the issue?
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digigirl02
Junior Sitter
The P is for Princess
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Post by digigirl02 on Dec 31, 2006 18:00:57 GMT -5
I have no idea.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2007 18:49:40 GMT -5
I always liked the economic explanation as to why the Pikes wouldn't let Mallory blow her money on sparkly, "trendy" clothes. The moment those things went out of fashion (as they were bound to), Mal would toss them aside, and the younger kids would refuse to accept them as hand-me-downs.
Sure, it's Mal's money, and she should be free to spend it the way she wants -- but, at the same time, she's only eleven, and these are the kind of things that a family that is on a budget has to think about.
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digigirl02
Junior Sitter
The P is for Princess
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Post by digigirl02 on Jan 1, 2007 21:04:33 GMT -5
I always liked the economic explanation as to why the Pikes wouldn't let Mallory blow her money on sparkly, "trendy" clothes. The moment those things went out of fashion (as they were bound to), Mal would toss them aside, and the younger kids would refuse to accept them as hand-me-downs. I feel sorry for Claire, Imagen all the hand-me-downs she probably owns. But then in about 15 or so years later, the treads will come back, so maybe Mallory could save them for her own children or neices.
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gabbie
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 144
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Post by gabbie on Jan 3, 2007 8:59:09 GMT -5
Well I understand that the Pikes wouldn't want Mal to spend ALL her money on sparkly stuff but the odd trendy item of clothing wouldn't hurt her. Besides her little sisters could use it for dress-up later.
I always found Mal's "I pulled one over my parents" attitude a little odd. She didn't. Her parents were never going to buy her a whole new wardrobe, let her get contacts and pierced ears and a haircut. Whatever she said she did want all those things not just the pierced ears.
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digigirl02
Junior Sitter
The P is for Princess
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Post by digigirl02 on Jan 3, 2007 12:24:30 GMT -5
But she did get a haircut also.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Jan 3, 2007 15:58:01 GMT -5
I think she sort of felt entitled to the pierced ears, and could have taken or left the other things, so she was pleased to be getting the haircut, since she wasn't expecting that.
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Post by sparklymouse on Jan 3, 2007 16:41:58 GMT -5
Did Mrs. Pike normally cut the kids' hair at home or something? I mean, who doesn't let their kid get a haircut? It's not like Mallory wanted to dye it blue or get a mohawk. As far as the hand-me-downs go, I figure Mallory and Margo got the most new stuff, with Vanessa and Claire getting them afterwards. It's unlikely that Margo or Claire would even wear most of Mallory's old clothes. Kid clothes don't last that long, what with food stains, grass stains, holes, etc. Although it's funny to think of one of the girls being forced to wear the "Mallory" jumper that Mal wore in Hello, Mallory.
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digigirl02
Junior Sitter
The P is for Princess
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Post by digigirl02 on Jan 3, 2007 19:18:08 GMT -5
I could see that now. They probably all have sweaters like that. (kinda like the Weasleys.)
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jen
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,156
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Post by jen on Jan 4, 2007 3:08:28 GMT -5
Did Mrs. Pike normally cut the kids' hair at home or something? I mean, who doesn't let their kid get a haircut? It's not like Mallory wanted to dye it blue or get a mohawk. Maybe it was the change that the Pikes were unhappy with - they wanted Mallory to have long hair instead of short hair? But that seems a bit strange for the liberal Pikes. Maybe Mallory never got her haircut, and just had the ends trimmed a bit every now and then by Mrs Pike. I mean, Dawn never gets *her* hair cut... Re: hand-me-downs - I think it's realistic what you're saying about Mallory and Margo getting the new clothes. Except there's one instance that makes me sort of think "what the?". In Poor Mallory!, Mrs Pike mentions not getting new clothes unless they're absolutely necessary, and Mallory worries about hand-me-downs, since she was the oldest and there was no one to hand things down to her. Does that mean the clothes really go down one at a time? That even the triplets and Nicky would wear what Mallory once wore?!
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digigirl02
Junior Sitter
The P is for Princess
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Post by digigirl02 on Jan 4, 2007 12:44:40 GMT -5
ROFL. That is one of the funnest mental imanges ever. If they do do hand-me-downs I wonder what Nicky does with three sets of clothes?
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Post by aln1982 on Aug 14, 2007 16:53:14 GMT -5
^ Never thought of Nicky and that problem with hand-me-downs ;D Anyway....I just reread and do like the stuff with the twins, even though they are horrible brats. I can understand why, though. Still, I felt for Mallory and am not really sure that Mrs. Arnold should have blamed Claudia. True, she was responsible for them but I’m not exactly sure how she could have done a better job telling them apart. This book seemed obsessed with the subject of ear piercing. Myabe this just bothered me because I don’t see what the big deal is about it. I know we have been discussing this in the Mallory and Jessi thread but was surprised when I actually read the book and saw what a huge deal Mal made out of it. I know it was important to her as a symbol of growing up or something but….
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Post by greer on Aug 14, 2007 17:19:51 GMT -5
i really want the koala bear earrings. those goody bags were so dope.
Also re: hand me downs--mal's clothes go to vanessa, of course, unless they're something unisex, like a sparkly sweatshirt. and nicky's clothes can go to jamie newton or something.
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alula
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 406
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Post by alula on Aug 14, 2007 22:34:51 GMT -5
With regard to the Pikes' weirdness about Mallory's clothes versus their normal parenting, I get the feeling that a lot of their "liberalness" came about just because there are so many kids, so it may be a habit to be stricter with Mal then the rest, sort of the same way they turn to her to help so much, when the triplets can't even mop up their own spilled milk. By the time Claire's 11, maybe she will be allowed to have a blue mohawk and six piercings!
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Post by aln1982 on Aug 14, 2007 23:15:18 GMT -5
I'm not sure the Pikes were necessarily weird about Mal's clothes or if she just tended to make a big deal about the things she couldn't wear. It actually didn't sound like her parents objected that much to the earrings. It seemed more like she was worried they would so afraid to ask.
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