I'm sure you've seen the articles recently. Whether they are marketing a push-up bra to a 7-year-old or makeup to a fourth-grader, it seems there is now, and frankly there has always been, a war between Modest Moms and Tantalizing Tweens.
I know in my generation (X, by the way) we had Madonna writhing around on a stage discussing being touched for the very first time. I had the tape in second grade and for a while, and I guess I can blame my Catholic school education on this one, I thought that bottle blond was talking about the Virgin Mary being touched by God in her heart.
These days, there can be no mistake. Just take a look at Rihanna's S&M lyrics and you will know exactly what I'm talking about ... and it's not Skittles & Milk, by the way. Even though I may not have grasped the nature of the songs themselves as a young girl, I couldn't wait to shed my plaid jumper and Peter Pan collar at the end of the day and get on my jelly bracelets, off-the-shoulder sweatshirt and Keds. Sound familiar?
These days, young girls proudly wear their school logo on their rears. Really. Some brilliant school administrator thought, "Hey now! What a great way to garner school pride. Let's stamp some teenage booty with our mascot!" I would have been kicked out of school for SURE if something like that happened. Though, where I went to school, there was an 80-year-old nun tasked with measuring our hemlines to keep us modest. But I digress. It angers me to see sexy attire marketed to girls who don't have boobies yet. It makes my blood boil, however, to see moms willing to purchase these clothes for their young girls.
Skinny Jeans for Toddlers? Seriously? Nothing makes me sadder than seeing a poor preschooler trying to climb up the slide in skinny jeans. I don't need to see her butt-crack any more than you need to see mine. There are very few times in a woman's life where she can be super comfortable in her skin and in her clothes. One of them is in her 80s in a muumuu in Boca and the other is when she's in preschool. So moms, let's stop tarting up our young flowers and get them some clothes that give. And don't dare say that they won't wear anything else. Nobody likes having their crack out. Nobody.
Not in My House! I'm all about allowing teens and preteens the opportunity to express themselves ... to a point. I don't know when girls had to stop sneaking sexy clothes out in their purses and changing when they got to school, but it seems these days, we mommas are encouraging the more provocative look. Sometimes I even wonder if these moms are trying to re-live these teen years acting like the parents they wish they had. I have no inclination to hang out with my own son and his friends and neither should you. I'm not saying to get the cardigan sets and pearls out by any means, just don't try to strut down the street wearing the same Juicy attire as your tween. Trust me, we can see the difference from behind.
Not with My Money! The rules in my house are always negotiable. Chances are I'm not going to say, "No," but I will say, "Not right now." My son has asked for clothes that I don't like and I ask him if he has any money. Aaaand he doesn't. Here's the tip of the day, Mom: Tweens have no cash. You can argue and slam doors and listen to the, "But everyone else has a belly button ring!" chorus until they are blue in the face, but in the end, they can't wear it if they can't buy it.