I Will Never...
* Have all four of my children at the same school again* Understand how I got so lucky as to be the mom of such a sweet and wonderful kid
* Figure out where the time went
* Have kids who are too young for middle school
* Fail to recognize the gifts with which I am blessed
* Comprehend why the Juniors section at Kohl's looks suspiciously like Hooker's R Us. If I wanted my daugther to look like she's working a street corner I'd make an appointment to get her a boob job at the ripe age of 11. I wouldn't sew falsies into her dress. Do you know what I had to do to that dress to make it appropriate for an 11 year old?! Why in the name of all that is beautiful and childlike can we not allow our children to look like (gasp) children? I'll admit that I was shopping in the 11th hour and my options were limited... but seriously?! And just because everyone else is doing it does that mean you should let your kid do it? Are their peer groups parenting the kids or are we?
* Forget the way my heart broke when I realized I couldn't stop her from growing up... When I accepted that she was no longer a child who relied on me for every want and need
* Erase the image of her excited and wondrous expression as she contemplates a future...
that's wide open.
52 comments:
She is beautiful. Looks like her Mom. Great dress, bet you had to sew a piece over the cleavage. My granddaughter K is 13 and she is a D cup, she has cleavage in everything. Her mom has to do the same thing. I agree it is ridiculous. You did a good job though because it looks great on her.
First - she is just lovely.
Second - I share your frustration. Have shared it for quite some time. It seems as though a lot of us feel the same way - and we're the ones that spend the money - you'd think there would be a better way to make ourselves heard...
No, my friend, we cannot stop them from growing up, try as we might. but there are wonderfully good parts to that, too...
The photo is sweet and the dress adorable! But I hear you on finding appropriate tween clothing. Our parish schol mandated for special functions that dresses had to have sleeves, no deep neckline and also not be too short. I defy you to find that dress. Virtually all the girls ended up wearing sweaters over their dresses.
Your the Mom of a middle schooler! How does that feel?
This is beautiful Kathy. I'm a sap and I love how much you appreciate every aspect of your children growing up.
A wide open future - I like that!
I agree that clothes for young girls are looking more and more 'sexy' and grown-up. I refuse to buy clothes like this!
She's adorable! And does look just like you too!
The state of girls clothing these days revolts me. The dress is really cute. Great job!
Kathy, she is beautiful and her sweetness comes through in that photo.
You are so right about the clothes out there for pre-teens/tweens. I don't have daughters to shop for, I have granddaughters and it's a challenge when I do try to find something.
Awwww, congrats on your middle-schooler. She looks so sweet, and good for you for doing a McGyver on the dress!
She is beautiful.....and the dress is gorgeous.
I agree. What are people thinking letting their young kids dress like that?
Just so you know.......the coming years are even more fun!! (I loved every second)
Oh don't get me started on girl's clothing...it's absolutely horrible!
Your daughter is beautiful! *Hugs* to you. It's hard watching them grow up sometimes!
She looks beautiful Kathy B.
I have to agree with you about that Junior section. Every time I pass it I thank God I'm not raising girls.
I was just shopping at Kohls for my 5 year old niece and I was shocked by some of the choices. I'm more shocked that parents are buying it.
The tank underneath made the dress look perfect. The boobage has gotten so bad at my high school that I only call the girls on it when I see the brown nipple sticking out. Sorry to be graphic. Or, if I see their underwear when they sit down.
I also call the boys on it when they make a male adjustment!!! When did it become ok to adjust your self in public??
You volunteer AND you sew?!?!?
What don't you do?
She's gorgeous...looks just like her Mom!
Your daughter is adorable. You did a nice job on the dress. I've been saying that very thing for years. Don't feel too bad about her going to Middle School. I can no longer say I have a child too young for HS! Time flies.
For the record, I DON'T sew!! It's a miracle that thing didn't pop off of her. I might have to do a post tomorrow about how that whole thing is held together :)
I love the dress. I have the same problem with my daughter who is 15. She wears boys shorts because the girls are way to short and she wears t-shirts that are girls if we can find them, if now she will wear boys. I don't understand why ever store wants our kids to dress like hookers. The shorts are worse than daisy dukes! disgusts me. Thanks for being a role model to your daughter and letting her know she is valued for herself and not her body.
How sweet is that! She DOES look just like you!
And I can already see the hookerish influence in even the little girls section. Our choices are limited to too babyish or too trashy! I can't wait for middle school...
She looks beautiful. Congratulations to her for moving on to middle school! (That's a big step for BOTH of you!)
Kudos on the dress work. It turned out nice!
For kids, slutty is the new black. I've noticed the recent trend of mini-skirts and fishnet stockings in Halloween costumes for 8 yo girls. I guess we're trying to catch up to the Japanese in the pedophilia race.
I was just thinking about how I wish I had that dress.
Of course, I would wear it without the modest cami and without a bra.
She looks like a mini-you! and I love the dress...
But, I can totally relate. Anytime we go dress shopping, we have to go "cami" shopping....because for whatever reason...Every dress for Jr's shows cleavage... So we buy the hoochie mama dress....and slap conservative under it.
I'm not looking forward to when the Princess Nagger reaches that age...for the very reasons you've mentioned. Your daughter is beautiful - a mini-me of you! :)
Wide open futures are the best! I love your perspective, KathyB!
What a beautiful girl you have there, and yeah to you for doing all you can to keep her age appropriate. It was a whole new world for me when I'd pick up my son last year (in his first year of middle school...impossible!) and see what some of the girls were wearing when they'd come barging out the doors at the end of the day!
She looks just like you! Seriously... I wondered for a moment from just looking at the picture if it was possibly a pic of you when you were her age.
SHE'S BEAUTIFUL!
Good work on the dress too!
Awww....she looks great. Wow! A middle schooler....and I'm crying over my baby starting kindergarten.
The clothes- ugh!
I can't add anything new, but I agree that she looks simply lovely. I pray that she keeps that sense of wonder and excitement.
We've been fighting the Juniors sections since 2001. My daughter was not built for the fashions at the time (which are worse today), but she was too big for the girls' section and too small for everything else. We had to hit up the women's petite section, but everything there is made for 50yos and businesswomen. She didn't appreciate dressing like her grandmother! I was happy when she developed her own (layered) style in her mid-teens.
I found my posts! I don't know why they aren't showing up the regular way, though. I can't just search for my username, or else all I find are my older posts.
http://www.momblognetwork.com/content/i-wanna-go-that-ride
She looks nice, Congratulations and good wishes to her.
Kathy B,
You are one Rockin Momma with some Rockin kids!
No you can't stop them from growing up, but you can cherish the memories.
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
So, you can already see boys in motorcycles showing up out front, ready to spirit your little girl away?
It is hard to find clothes for girls that don't look trashy!
She looks darling!
If you didn't throw the falsies out, can I have them?
I would wear that dress! What did you have to do for it?
Where does the time go??
I dread the days that my little girl grows out of the children's section (even though it looks more and more like the adult section each year!).
She is so gorgeous and confident! She may be breaking your heart but it looks like you are doing a great job, Mom:-)
Your daughter is beautiful. My daughter, Marissa just turned 24! It's unbelievable how fast they grow up!
She looks lovely! Nice job, Mom!
She looks beautiful! I bet your anxious. I'm anxious over preschool; I can't imagine the wreck I'll be over middle school.
As I read your dress issue, then read a few comments, I thought she has a whole other post to write. So I heartly endourse the KathyB! dresses for girls post aka we're not raising sluts or hookers.
You are a good mom! There is a great (funny) book out called Stop Dressing Your Six Year Old Like A Skank.
Amen and amen about clothing for girls, age 11. As soon as my daughter moved into size 12, I could not believe the change in styles. Especially in Alaska, you'd think I could find long pants and tops with long sleeves. Nooo, everything is spaghetti straps and miniskirts.
The clothing leaves me in a constant state of confusion too. I guess people buy it. Otherwise, it wouldn't be there.
so when little girls are young it fun to shop for them and its all cute. But when they get older it sucks. is this what you are telling me?
She is beautiful by the way. :)
Great post, writer.
I could feel my own heart break reading this.
These years are gonna keep flying, I just know it.
Aww...she look beautiful and dressed perfectly! My youngest daughter is 22 and I can tell you that time flies. DON'T blink!!
She looks like a little mini version of you!! What a beautiful little girl!!
This post was very touching....it's so hard to accept that they're growing up, isn't it?
But then again, considering the stages I'm at with my kids, I wouldn't mind if they grew up enough to fix their own breakfasts and wipe their own butts.
Wonderful post...veyr poignant and heartfelt...
I think you may like our new blog space
http://madmanicmamas.blogpot.com/
a place for mums of teens to gather, cogitate and support.. we hope!
saz (FFF)
lovely post. She looks so beautiful in her dress, yes and grown up too.
Proud mom!!
The dress looks lovely and I agree most clothes for kids these days are way too sexed up!
How exciting for her and scary for you! I am just 2 years away from being in the same place you are and I am so scared! I never really thought that my babies would grow up and live through all of the fun and hard times. I am getting a little more nervous with each day!
Becca
She looks so beautiful. As sad as the realization is that we can't keep them, at least thinking about it helps us hold onto the present a little tighter. We won't miss out on much, it'll just fly by too quickly.
She is a lovely young lady and I hope that she finds her teenage years filled with boundless happy memories.
She is absolutely adorable! Her dress is so pretty!
I know what you're saying about Kohl's Junior hooker dept....the 6 year old dept is the same!!!
Pretty dress.
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