Is anyone else out there with daughters scared shitless about raising them in today’s world of over-sexed, under-dressed, unsupervised, and generally grown-up-too-fast youth? I am.
I’m horrified by some of the things I see girls younger and younger doing, wearing, saying, and experiencing, and I whole-heartedly pray that I will be strong enough to raise D with unwavering morals and values.
I want her to be proud of herself, love herself, respect others (including her elders), and love having me and R as her parents.
I want to give her a childhood full of innocence and happiness, warm summer days and nights playing outside, cold winter ones snuggled in close, and memories filled with laughter and love instead of micro-minis, stilettos, and make-up.
I want her to fully enjoy being a kid, where her biggest worries are learning to share toys and riding a bike, not whether her clothes are from the right store or if she has the perfect body or, god-forbid, the best cell phone.
I want to foster her confidence so she grows up strong enough to respect herself, not feel like she has to do whatever it takes to get the boys’ attention or that of the mean girls.
My hope of hopes is to give her the best foundation possible early in life so that she grows into a wonderful woman in her own right, ready to take on the world with a good head on her shoulders and a positive (yet not naive) outlook and attitude. I know that may sound uber-cliche, but that’s what I want.
I don’t want to be her best friend (although i’m sure that would be great, but my job is parent).
I don’t want to give in to every whine and beg just because everyone else gets to do it.
I don’t want her to have a cell phone when she’s 7 because I think that’s ridiculous; she can have one when she’s ready and able to pay for it herself (read has a job and can fund her own plan).
I don’t want her to be on Facebook until she’s well into high school, if not college, or ever (wouldn’t it be great if we could actually raise our kids to talk to each other, not online chat??).
I don’t want her to start dressing like a college student in grade school because that’s disgusting.
I don’t want her to think she’s entitled to everything just because every other kid appears to be.
I want her to address adults by Mr. and Mrs.
I want her to say please and thank you and excuse me and may I.
I want her to be able to use her imagination to make up games and stories and make-believe playlands.
I want her to understand and appreciate money and not throw a fit when there isn’t a Bentley wrapped up with a bow in the driveway on her 16th birthday.
I want her to be caring and giving, not selfish and absorbed like so many kids I watch today.
I want that amazing sparkle in her eyes to always be there, never fade.
I guess I just want her to be a good person, and I want to have the strength and wherewithal to get her there. Is that too much to ask?
I found this wonderful post today over on Clover Lane, and it’s exactly everything I’ve been thinking about and wanted to say. I don’t want D’s childhood cut short either, so I hope I’m a good enough mom to make hers long and pure.
