So Much More Drama

When my oldest daughter was a baby I couldn't wait for her to talk.  She was a very high maintenance child and screaming seemed to be the only way she would communicate what her heart desired.  The toddler years didn't fair much better.  "Yes!" meant "Oh hell no!" and "No!" meant "Mommy what didn't you give me that NOW!" and "I want to go outside, " meant "I want to go outside for 5 minutes then come back inside even though it took you longer than 5 minutes to get me ready to go outside in the first place!"  When we reach her being school aged I thought we really had this communication issue figured out.  But then she would tell me some ridiculous off the wall idea that was rolling around in her brain and I would sit there looking like a confused dog.

Now she is 10.  A "tween" if you will. Guess what though?  She is starting to speak a language I know.  Stroppy tweenager.  Maybe it is because half the language is non verbal.  There are the eye rolls, the exasperated huffs, the stomps up the stairs, and my favorite of all time the irrational tears.  Hormones hormones everywhere!!

I have found myself more than once reacting to her over reaction in fits of giggles.  I know, that's probably rude.  It is hard being completely ruled by your hormones.  I remember this age entirely to well.  Nobody understood me.  Nobody knew how hard it was to be this age and want to do all the things in the world better than everyone else because I knew how to do everything right because I was always right!  Only I didn't know my mom knew exactly what I was going through.  And I know exactly what she is going through as well. 

And although this stage of her development may be a nightmare for me some days, it leads to a lot of amazing moments.  Moments where we can just sit and talk and have moments of complete understanding.  Moments where she knows I am rooting her on, no matter what path she takes.  And although there are some days I am screaming up the stairs "Just remember I am not your friend I am your mother! I have enough friends and I am doing this for your own good!" as she is getting ready to slam the door that she might not have on the hinges tomorrow if she keeps slamming it, I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Because my baby is growing up and turning into a young lady. A young lady that still wants to play with Pokemon and Nerf guns.  That's ok too.  No need for her to grow up too fast.

Excuse Me Young Women, We Need to Have A Talk About Feminism

I am a feminist.

I believe that women should have all the opportunities that men do.  I hate the gender segregation of the toy industry.  The aisle of pink in the toys stores makes my blood boil. I read about gender issues.  I teach my daughters that they have value; not for the fact that they are "pretty" but because they are people and people matter.  ALL PEOPLE.

So when I saw a young woman at a bar on the Air Force base wearing a shirt that proclaimed that she was "Property of (insert her boyfriends name here)", I inwardly cringed for womankind.  What kind of world do we live in when young ladies think it is cool to declare their love for a man by proclaiming that they are his property?

Young ladies, you are not property.  Property is something that can be bought, sold, passed along and discarded.  Can you be bought, sold, passed along and discarded?  Do you feel that is what you are worth?  Are you not better than this?

I thought not.  Know better.  Do better. 

Uplift yourself.  Uplift other women.  Do not buy into the media.  You are worth more that your looks or who you are dating.  You are worth something because you are you. You are a woman and you are not property.