MARK MY WORD: DAD SURVIVES CLOTHES SHOPPING SAFARI WITH DAUGHTER

Most dads don't have a clue about buying children's clothes.

It's not that we don't care about what our children wear; we just don't have the shopping brains of moms.

Guys are more comfortable in the hardware store than in children's clothing aisles.

Generally, I only venture into those uncharted waters with the aid of a trusty navigator like my wife, Joni.

When I walk through the aisles, I'm overwhelmed by all the clothes for kids. It's a blur to me, but Joni zeroes in on just the right clothes in a matter of seconds. She knows all this because she's scouted the territory on numerous previous shopping trips.

When I tag along on such trips I feel more like a tourist on one of those jungle safaris. I never know what's around the next bend.

So you understand, I wasn't thrilled about having to go shopping with our 9-year-old daughter, Rebecca, the other evening without Joni's assistance.

Joni, however, was suffering from a bad sinus infection and didn't feel like doing any last minute shopping.

Becca needed a new pair of pajamas so she could show up properly dressed for Pajama Day at her elementary school. Normally, this is a job for Super Mom. But this night, it fell on my shoulders to carry out the task.

Naturally, I grumbled about it. Guys have a way of doing that when it comes to the thought of shopping with children. Joni suggested it would be a good bonding experience. I knew better. She just wanted some peace and quiet.

At any rate, Becca and I embarked on our journey. We went to a local discount store. Becca headed straight for the racks of children's pajamas and within a matter of minutes she zeroed in on "sheepy time" pajamas that had a cute, little sheep design.

At that point, we began looking for a T-shirt for Bailey. Becca's 5-year-old sister stayed home rather than go shopping with her dad.

I hadn't invited her anyway. I figured I would be doing well to shop with one clothes-conscious daughter, much less two.

But at the store, things were going so well I figured we might as well spend a few extra minutes looking around and bring something home for Bailey. Becca liked the idea too. Even at her age, she believes you can't spend too much time looking at clothes.

At any rate, we searched through racks of clothes looking for just the right T-shirt. There were plenty of T-shirts sporting splashy flower designs. They were reminiscent of the hippie culture of the 1960s when "flower power" was an anti-establishment lifestyle rather than a part of child-chic clothing.

Thankfully, for Becca and Bailey, the 1960s have returned with a vengeance. They love peace signs, lava lamps, and other accessories.

So far, they haven't decided to move into a commune, assuming any of those still exist. Like most modern kids, they prefer to live at home and make frequent shopping trips with Joni.

After much consideration (OK, it was only 10 minutes, but what do you expect from a dad and his third-grade daughter), we selected a T-shirt that said, what else, "flower power" and featured drawings of kids' faces surrounded by flower petals.

We managed to get out of the store without bankrupting the family budget.

When we got home, Bailey was too busy parading around in swimming suits to try on her new shirt. After a little pleading, I convinced her to try on the shirt. She did and promptly removed it.

Becca went to school the next day wearing her brand new pajamas and her fuzzy pink and white robe. As for Bailey, she proudly wore her new T-shirt.

I have to admit, the shopping trip was fun. But don't tell Joni. Next thing you know I'll be shopping for groceries. Anyone for a trip to the hardware store?