That's really interesting. I hope this light-bulb helps, even though you know your dad's not going to change.
I had a similar moment with my mom about a year ago. In general, she's much more accepting, but she used to do the same thing in the area of clothing.
I have sensory issues with any fabrics that don't breathe, especially polyester. To my mom, as long as the fabric was "soft" (i.e., had a smooth texture), there shouldn't be any problem. But for me, if I wore clothes made of artificial fabrics, I would start to sweat and prickle and itch and just be miserable.
My parents had to be pretty frugal while I was growing up, so most of what I wore came from thrift stores or was hand-me-downs from cousins. Also, my mom and grandma had grown up ironing everything they word, so any fabric like polyester which didn't wrinkle, was a godsend to them.
It didn't "click" for me until after I learned that one of my cousins can't stand touching velvet, and another one can't tolerate cotton balls, and a third can't stand to touch mesh fabrics like the liners of swim trunks. This is a familial trait... and my mom doesn't share it... so she really can't tell how itchy those things feel. To her, smooth equals soft and comfortable.
One cousin has two small children about the ages of yours, and she is totally understanding when her kids refuse to wear certain clothes, or when their sensitivities change from one day to another. It makes me happy to hear that their lives are so much easier in this area than mine was.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2017-06-05 10:13 pm (UTC)I had a similar moment with my mom about a year ago. In general, she's much more accepting, but she used to do the same thing in the area of clothing.
I have sensory issues with any fabrics that don't breathe, especially polyester. To my mom, as long as the fabric was "soft" (i.e., had a smooth texture), there shouldn't be any problem. But for me, if I wore clothes made of artificial fabrics, I would start to sweat and prickle and itch and just be miserable.
My parents had to be pretty frugal while I was growing up, so most of what I wore came from thrift stores or was hand-me-downs from cousins. Also, my mom and grandma had grown up ironing everything they word, so any fabric like polyester which didn't wrinkle, was a godsend to them.
It didn't "click" for me until after I learned that one of my cousins can't stand touching velvet, and another one can't tolerate cotton balls, and a third can't stand to touch mesh fabrics like the liners of swim trunks. This is a familial trait... and my mom doesn't share it... so she really can't tell how itchy those things feel. To her, smooth equals soft and comfortable.
One cousin has two small children about the ages of yours, and she is totally understanding when her kids refuse to wear certain clothes, or when their sensitivities change from one day to another. It makes me happy to hear that their lives are so much easier in this area than mine was.