One Thing I Hate About Having A Daughter

Being a woman is one of the hardest things in the world. I could list a million different reasons why, but what I find is THE hardest is our image. I don't mean the way we come across, I mean flat out the way we look. What color our hair is, how smooth our legs are, what size breasts we have, our shoe size, and of course the most important to everyone....our weight.

I'll never forget the actual day I started worrying about my weight.  I may have told this story before but it's important.  I was 15 and a sophomore in high school. The guy I was dating at the time called and said he wanted to stop by and say hi real quick. Being 15, nothing made me happier than that. He pulled up in the driveway and I hopped in the passenger seat, he gave me a quick peck and then sat back in his seat. Out of nowhere he said (as he poked me in the stomach) "wow, you're putting on a little weight huh? Might need to do something about that." Now I have to say, I was notorious for dating some real douches in high school (yes mom you were right, AGAIN) but I had never really been worried or concerned with my weight until then. I was mortified and humiliated and remember going in the house and immediately getting on the scale. To clarify I was a size 5, an apparently humongous, gross, size 5. I have had a problem with my self esteem and image ever since then. All because ONE insignificant comment was made by ONE person 14 years ago. Something so small stuck with me and has managed to influence the way I see myself. This is terrifying now that I have a daughter.  

When I found out I was having the girl I wanted so badly I was elated. There was nothing that was more exciting to me. I imagined the dressing up, the barbies, the baby dolls, doing her hair and all the fun stuff. What managed to elude my mind was what she will inevitably deal with as she grows. The pressure to be a girl. To wear the right clothes, do her hair the right way, and yes even be the "right" weight. What worries me even more is that no matter how much I tell her she is beautiful, perfect, smart, and amazing she will still most likely at some point see herself the way others let her, I know because my mom tried to tell me the same things. I am 29 and I STILL have image issues, the same ones that started from that asshole in high school. I don't ever want my daughter to feel any less beautiful because of a number on a scale or on a pair of pants. 

The media, Hollywood, actors, singers models you name it always complain about the pressures of the "business", but who gives into the "business"?  They do. When are the ones that reluctantly influence our young girls the most going to take a stand on what beauty really is?  I am going to do every single thing in my power to make sure my daughter knows that no matter what, she is the most beautiful person in the world, but as long as there are teenage boys, magazines, and whatever else telling her what "beauty" is my uplifting words just might get lost, but I refuse to accept that. I refuse to let anyone influence the way she sees herself. My daughter will always know that beauty is on the inside, and only her opinion matters. I hope someday that is a trend that catches on. The big smile she wears everyday, is the same one I want to continue to see for the rest of my life. Love yourself, be yourself, and don't let anyone change the way you feel about yourself in a negative way. We are all beautiful

My kid got addicted to meth from the Breaking Bad action figures...said no parent ever

We all heard not too long ago about Breaking Bad action figures making it on to Toys R Us shelves. Shortly after we also heard about one Florida mother that was so disgraced about it, she started a petition (and received a whopping 9,000 signatures) to get them removed. I get it, the show was about a drug dealer and the action figure does come with a bag of money and a fake baggie of meth, BUT this was never advertised towards children, and its not like the show was on the Disney Channel. Instead of starting a petition wouldn't it just be easier to NOT buy it for your kid? Do people realize that it's not just kids that but action figures?  I mean I'm 29 years old and I just bought a Rick Grimes action figure. I thought it was funny how appalled this woman was. Think of all the other things they sell at Toys R Us. Violent video games, fake weapons, barbie dolls (that promotes an oh so great body image), and the list goes on. This isn't about the toys out there though.  This is about the parents and the people who need to stop complaining just to complain.  

If you sit back and try to rationalize this just for a second, you will really see how ridiculous it all is.  Lets think about why this Florida mom was upset.  Was she upset about the figure being sold because of the content of the show, because of what the figure came with, or both?  OK so all we really know is that she didn't like it being sold at a toy store.  The "toys" in question were obviously targeted at the fans of the show and not kids.  My questions is did her kid(s) point it out and say "Hey! That's Heisenberg!" or "Hey! That's Pinkman!" yeah I doubt it but there is the possibility that a kid could grab it run to their mom and say "mommy can I get this?  pleeeease? pleeeeease?"  Now brace yourselves because I'm about to share with you one of my biggest secrets as a mother myself.  If your child asks for something that you feel is inappropriate, or something you don't agree with, just say this magical word.  Ready?  NO.  That's right!  You being the parent gives you the right to keep your kids from anything you feel is bad or wrong.  Isn't it crazy?  Need examples?

"Mom, can we get a Happy Meal tonight?"
"NO"
"Mom, can we get a puppy?"
"NO"
"Mom, can we live at Disneyland?"
"NO"

Oh and hey it works for Dads too! Need examples?

"Dad, can I kick my ball by your car?"
"NO"
"Dad, can I change the channel?"
"NO"
"Dad, can I have candy before breakfast?"
"NO" (well you're supposed to say no)

It works for "toys" too

"Mom, Dad, can I get this action figure with fake meth and a dufflebag of cash?"  Ready?
"NO!"

Now, maybe there is a legitimate reason this mom and 8,999 other people were so worried about this action figure.  I mean, we should really look into the amount of kids that have turned into meth heads because they got their hands on a Breaking Bad action figure.  Oh that's right, it probably doesn't exist.  I would say this is about as dangerous to our youth as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figure that shoots steaming hot pizza.  Why isn't anyone worried about kids grabbing steaming hot pizzas and throwing them at people?  That could cause third degree burns!  Have you ever burned the roof of your mouth from pizza?  Now imagine that all over your face.  You may laugh, but that would be way more realistic than your kid becoming addicted to meth because of an action figure they saw at Toys R Us.  At the end of the day all that Florida mom did was make these incredibly more sought after, more intriguing, and not to mention skyrocket in value.  I know I loved the show, but I hadn't even heard of them until this mom cried about it (now I have two, thanks!).  Surely there is more going on in this world than the non effect this will have on our children. So please lets go back to worrying about REAL issues affecting our kids like starving children, childhood cancer, child abuse, and the releases of "rehabilitated" sex offenders.