May 02, 2006

So true!

I read this the other day in some email I get from MomsTown Reality Radio (don't know how I got on the mailing list) - but I absolutely loved this persons perspective on what's popular and approved of in our culture. All comments welcome:

TIRED OF POP TARTS?

Out of respect for our daughters, future daughter-in-laws and women in general we feel compelled to take a stand against pop tarts. What's a 'pop tart?' you might be wondering. They are the girls (we hesitate to call them women due to a lack of maturity) we see in the media every day. They are thegirls our girls are exposed to on television, online, in magazines, and on the radio. They are the young women who, even born with a silver spoon, choose to behave badly on a regular basis for the return of fame and more money. They are dripping in couture, accessory dogs, and 'look at me' attitudes. What message are they sending to our young girls and boys? Do we want our girls to aspire to these shallow depths and our boys to date (and God forbid) marry a pop tart?

We believe, and correct us please if we're wrong, that it's better to be known by 10 people as a woman of quality and substance than to be known by millions as a pop tart. Now you might be thinking this is the ranting of a couple of feminist women, prudish moms, and what-have-you. Whatever we might be labeled we believe it's time someone takes a stand on the side of integrity, and on the side of women and girls who don't want to be force-fed unhealthy pastries.
True beauty is smart, confident, poised, and articulate. True beauty is as unique as each individual. It is our belief that there is a beautiful woman growing inside each girl. It is up to us to protect them and teach them the difference between smart and tart. It's okay to voice your opinion, take a stand, and have your own style. Following the latest craze, the fad, and posting unkind words or inappropriate pictures in MySpace.com is not the way to achieve long-lasting beauty or the kind of attention they might really be wanting.


Now that we've stated the problem, how do we, as a society, fix it? We hear from moms and dads about the pressures being put on our youngsters. It's the kind of peer pressure we never experienced. First, would be to teach our children they are better than that behavior, not that they're better than someone else. As Grandpa used to say, "You ain't better than nobody, and ain't nobody better than you."

As a parent, watch the trends. We don't want our kids to get caught up in the bling of tart culture. Be aware, be educated, and know what is going on in your kids' world.

This is in no way an attempt to stifle creativity or take away the right to express, however, a Chihuahua is a pet, not a brooch, and deserves to be treated as a loved member of the family, not an accessory. We're not going PETA on you, but come on let's get real, let's celebrate smart girls withstyle not stupid girls with an "I'm better than you" attitude.