It took kids this long to notice?

[ImagineKate]

So today I put on a dress and come downstairs. Wife and kids are there. Immediately the kids notice and say, "daddy you're wearing a dress!!"

They had a good laugh out of it and I felt real embarrassed but I rolled with it and laughed right along. My son even asked why am I wearing a dress? I told him daddy wears dresses too. My daughters were hilarious they started comparing my dress to theirs and told me it was beautiful... And then after a few minutes they went about their business.

Anyway this is odd because I dress up in front of them all the time including dresses and skirts and sleepwear. Why only today do they notice? 

They are 4.

[ImagineKate]

Anyway this is what I'm wearing

[Mara]

Maybe that dress just caught their attention more? It is a nice one.

[ImagineKate]

I've worn this dress many times in front of them though. Yes it's my favorite for home and just casual. Lauren Conrad from Kohl's.

[Ms Grace]

They're probably reaching the age where they understand social "norms" and "expectations". Before 4 they're not really up to that but now they're noticing in the outside world that people with a male body "do not wear dresses". Your not full time I gather so they see you go to work in male clothes so they're starting to put things together about the "differences" between men and women. If you're not yet comfortable about the idea of them telling their friends you might need to have a chat with them.

[ImagineKate]

They're probably reaching the age where they understand social "norms" and "expectations". Before 4 they're not really up to that but now they're noticing in the outside world that people with a male body "do not wear dresses". Your not full time I gather so they see you go to work in male clothes so they're starting to put things together about the "differences" between men and women. If you're not yet comfortable about the idea of them telling their friends you might need to have a chat with them.

I am absolutely not full time yet, but I actually am "full time" at home.

I think I know what may have happened. So last week I started back mostly wearing guy clothes because I had to use the locker room at the gym. Basically I started back working out after about a month hiatus because I want to get more active so my health would be in order for my HRT appointment. Prior to last week I was not really full time but I'd wear femme underwear and dress androgynous-ish including women's jeans and feminine tops. Yes, even to work. However most people don't notice because I keep myself partially covered up. My previous therapist's advice was to slowly start coming out to the world, dress up at home first and then look to start going out more en femme or andro at first.

But dressing in men's clothes has really started to kick me in the butt with dysphoria, and today it hit home when my wife asked if anything changed and if I was not going to transition anymore... then I realized it really looked like I was not going to transition anymore. That really made me feel all depressed so I changed out after we came home. I put on bra, panties, this dress and some leggings (because it's cold). Then I felt sooooo much better. That's when I came down to the kids and they pointed out that I was wearing a dress.

It doesn't bother me that they notice. I won't even mind if they talk in school, because I am going to be out sooner or later anyway. But I think I will sit and have a talk with them about what daddy is going through. I have to figure out that with my wife because she isn't being supportive as I thought she was and she's afraid that my son will somehow think it's OK to be trans (as if that is a bad thing).

Oh and they called her daddy and she got all upset... and I asked her why... she said, "because I'm wearing pants and you're wearing a f***ing dress!"