Louisa's Shorts: How to Get Things Done–Online I don't know about yours, but my kids have uncanny timing when it comes to making urgent requests for things they really need. It usually happens in the evening, when I am beginning to think about taking a relaxing bath; late on Sunday afternoons, when stores are closed; or at breakfast, just as we are ready to head out the door to the school bus. My daughter Louisa is in sixth grade. She seems to be growing about an inch taller every week. This is happening in the legs. "I don't have any shorts that fit me, Mom," she said recently. "The school nurse stopped me in the hall today and said my shorts are too short. School rule." I looked at her. Sure enough, the pair she was wearing was a bit skimpy. My bubble-bath vision evaporated as I considered when we would find time over the next few days to go to the mall together. Nick had a lacrosse game the next afternoon, the school chorus concert was the day after. There's always homework. Not to mention my day job at the office. Then I had an epiphany: "Louisa, I wonder if Gap Kids is online. Let's go check it out." We did, and there it was. www.gapkids.com. Big smiles on both our faces. There was a "shorts" area, complete with photos, color choices, 360-degree views, and even a couple of items on sale. We ordered three pairs in two minutes. A delicious thought entered my mind: "Louisa, I wonder if the grown-up Gap site is linked to this one." Sure enough, it was. Before I knew it, Louisa had advised me against buying a hooded sleeveless shirt; had steered me toward bell-bottom denims ("Just like you used to wear in the old days, Mom! You'd look so cool!"), which I declined; and had talked me into buying two V-neck T-shirts for $15.99 each–one for me, one for her (size XS), in pine green. Click, click, click. We clicked for our purchases to arrive overnight (which they did). The entire experience took half an hour. Now I ask you. Is this a breakthrough invention or what? How else could I outfit my daughter, get her advice on a shirt for me, find out what she imagined I wore in the "old days," AND order a mother-daughter set of matching T-shirts? All in 30 minutes, without leaving my house? With time to spare for that nice hot bath? In my book, shopping in a store with your newly fashion-conscious daughter is fun. It is one of those motherhood experiences that makes all the dreary years of diapering and slobbering worthwhile. But the fact is, given our schedules these days (Louisa has three siblings, and I have a job, not to mention a husband), there isn't always time to do these things as often as I'd like. Shopping online isn't the same as shopping in a "real" store, but it's a great runner-up. It gets the job done. It's fun, it's easy, and there aren't any crowds. Plus, there's something magic about it. Is it just me, or do you still have a sense of astonishment about being able to buy clothes, books, Merlot, or hydrangeas over the Internet? Please tell me about your most satisfying online shopping experience: Sarah@SheClicks.com. I'll share your successes with everyone.