I have had arguments with friends about the validity of Batman being considered a superhero. He has no superpowers, but the one thing the Caped Crusader always is is prepared. One of my favorite lines from the Michael Keaton Batman movie is when the Joker says, “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” And it’s true, Batman always seems to pull the right tool from his utility belt – at the right time. Kind of like a parent.
It is crazy the amount of stuff that you wind up carrying as a parent. Your pockets become a fortress for all the miscellaneous pieces that your children accrue during the course of a day. A stick of gum here, a sticker there, a toy that can no longer be carried, keys, a half eaten granola bar (go ahead, judge me), ticket stubs, and the list can go on and on and on.
Now that the diaper bag is no longer a necessity, I find myself searching for places to put things. And that’s when I rediscovered cargo pants via Lee. I found Lee’s cargo pants to be fashionable and functional – which suits me as a parent and a professional.
The beauty of the cargo pant is that they offer comfort and can be worn dressed down or in a less casual environment. The bigger beauty is that despite where you are wearing them, the pockets are always a benefit. Let’s put it this way – if Batman didn’t have a utility belt, he would have built cargo pants into his Batsuit. They are that amazing.
Think of it this way – kids move. Quickly. You don’t always have the luxury of calling a timeout to return things before they have moved on to the next activity. My son is famous for this. He will take three of his “guys” outside to play in the grass. Then suddenly he decides that he wants to ride his bike like his sister, so the guys go into my pocket, the bike comes out, and the fun continues – uninterrupted. The pockets are also deep enough that I have been able to stuff a small sippy cup in one, when the walk has gone on too long and I find myself carrying the boy back to the house. I also have room in the other pocket for a camera, keys, sidewalk chalk -all the fun things. And through it all, I am able to be present and prepared – like Batman.
I have seen the benefit both at home and at work. As a teacher, I wind up with a menagerie of things that other people’s children “gift” me. Hall passes, small toys that distract from learning, markers, pens, folded up pieces of paper, etc. My cargo pants give me the perfect portable pocket to store the remnants of a busy day.
Best thing about this whole cargo pant idea? When it gets warm outside, there are cargo shorts too! That means I get to be Batman no matter what the weather is.
So riddle me this readers – think about the things you carry from day to day? How do you contain it all? What’s in your pockets?
A special thanks to Lee for sending me a pair of their cargo pants. I was not compensated for this post. My thoughts and words are my own. And, yes, I do believe that Batman would wear cargo pants if he didn’t have a utility belt.