Rant

I haven't written a complaint blog in awhile, but I have some things to say.

First of all, it has occured to me that we have excused ourselves as parents of raising dignified young ladies who know what it means to act like one when we have attached shorts under skirts and allowed them to be worn to Kindergarten. While I can appreciate the desire to not have our children's underwear on display for all the world (or class) to see, at what point did we abandon the idea that there was a proper way to behave (sit) when wearing a skirt, and certainly a limit to the places in our life where such attire is appropriate. If we allowed our daughters to wear skirts only to church until they demonstrated a true understanding of what it means to be a lady in a skirt, then perhaps we could allow them to wear them to more everyday places where they might have to amend their behavior accordingly.

That said, I know my sister is screaming at her computer at the moment and thinks this was a direct comment aimed at her. It's not, not at all, Jules. I've just seen far too many skorts on the playground, and far too many young girls sitting cross-legged on the floor in a skirt, and far too many young ladies prance around like they were in jeans when they are not. Just as I try to teach my son to hold open doors, give up his seat and to thank the person who made a meal for his supper, I hope that there is similar consideration being given to the generation of daughters that we are raising. Ultimately, I hope my son is to marry one of them. And I hope she knows from an early age how to act like a lady and to dress appropriately.


Secondly and perhaps more vehemently, I am greatly disturbed at the proclamations our children are making emblazoned on their t-shirts. Have we really, as parents, not seen past the intended humor long enough to realize that if we are truly finding these statements funny (and accurate) enough to plaster them on t-shirts and adorn our children with them that something is seriously wrong with our parenting? At what point is "Parents for Sale: Buy one get one free" actually funny? Or "You can't make me do chores if you can't find me" funny (even if it's in camo?) How about, "I'm a princess", which seems innocuous enough but really, are we trying to raise self-centered daughters? How about "Hear no sister, see no sister, speak to no sister"? Or "I'm not listening." Everyday I see children walking around with these shirts and I wonder at what point will we start to understand where it all went wrong? Will we ever see that in simple and small ways we have been not only allowing but actually laughing at all the bad habits and qualities we don't want to instill in our children?

Thirdly, I hate when people start a list and don't have a third item. But I really don't have a third item. I just had to vent about the other two things to get it off my chest. And I know some of you out there *cough* Jules *cough* are shaking your head at me and calling me a fanatic and someone who has taken things a little too far, you can chalk up these issues alongside my strong opposition to Halloween and Santa Claus (and yes, I do boycott both). The truth of the matter is, I'm okay with that.