“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” —Aesop
In hopes of talking less and doing more when it comes to helping others, I’ve started a series I’m calling Good Samaritan Saturday. On Saturday mornings, I’ll post a little something you can do to start your weekend out with positive vibes by helping to lift someone else up…
After witnessing Ellie’s very unique sense of style at the playground the other day, someone sent me a link to Chooze on zulily. I had never heard of them before.
They started as a brand that makes purposefully mismatched shoes to “empower kids with creativity, confidence, and their power to have a positive impact on the world.” They’ve since branched out into a lifestyle brand with mismatched leggings and funky bags.
clockwise from top left: Dream in Pop Turquoise ballet flats || Move in Treasure sneakers
Scout in Prep loafers || Jump in Wish mary-janes
Pretty cool, right? Well, the more I learned as I poked around on their website, the more I liked them.
They use only vegan materials in manufacturing and ship their shoes in “art boxes” which are reusable and made from recycled cardboard. On top of all of that empowerment and eco-consciousness, Chooze is a Good Returns company, which means they invest annual profits into anti-poverty programs. These programs provide women with training, support, education, and loans so that they can start their own businesses and work their way out of poverty. That means that while you’re empowering your kids to let their creativity shine, some of that money you spend will also go to empowering a family who could really use it.
Um, color me smitten.
My girls have always had big opinions about fashion. I’m pretty sure Samantha holds the world record for mixing and matching as many colors and patterns together as one human being can. And Ellie is no shrinking violet either. Last year she frequently went to school wearing two totally different shoes.
The fashion these two cobble together may make me cringe sometimes—and will never find its way onto a carefully curated Pinterest board—but it fills my girls with a confidence you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else. It’s the confidence that comes with being genuinely yourself and not giving one shit what anyone else (especially your mother) thinks about it.
I love this about my girls. And, while I have to bite my tongue an awful lot, I’m not about to lay down an iron fist and tell them that they can’t express themselves. Because, honestly, what good does that do? I might briefly feel like their teachers think I have my shit together more than I do (though they’ll find out my secret before too long), but why should that matter more than making my girls feel good?
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Hi! I'm Jen, a freelance writer and girl mom who loves reading the newest children’s books as much as I love a good psychological thriller. I believe fiercely in the power of kindness, empathy, and really good quality chocolate. When I'm not knee-deep in glittery crafts and girl talk, you can probably find me sprawled out on my couch in the middle of a Netflix marathon with dark chocolate smeared on my face. The struggle is real. 
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