Last month, I had my 13-year-old toss all his trashed pants.

The wardrobe purge was fine in concept, but the actual tossing and replacing set off his work and shopping allergies. Calling attention to his growth spurt didn't help. He complained he hadn't grown enough, along with everything else under the sun as I dragged him out and returned him home with a week's worth of pants, then resumed my underappreciated role as clothes fairy, feeling just a slight jolt of pain upon learning people are paying ridiculous sums for professionally "destroyed" jeans, because my kid is a total pro at destruction.

But I like shopping for kids, as you can read at familytree .honadvblogs.com; offer advice and share my pain.

When she's not being a reporter, Treena Shapiro is busy with her real job, raising a son and daughter. Check out her blog at www.HonoluluAdvertiser.com/Blogs.