I have a problem. It's almost like an addiction. I can't seem to go more than a few weeks before I have this overwhelming urge to find Baby G a new hair bow or headband. You probably think I'm kidding, but I'm not. I have baskets full of headbands, bows, and hats for my sweet girl. And I have enough accessories in my collection that I could probably bling out every girl in the neighborhood. I think my years as a boy mom has somehow influenced my desire to raise a girly girl. And it's resulted in this monster who can't resist tulle, pearls, and anything lacy and pink!
The other night, my friend, Jenn was sharing about her experiences raising two teenage girls. She explained that she and her husband felt it was important to emphasize inner beauty and to distinguish inward "beauty" from outward "fancy." Thus, when her girls dress up and bling themselves out in pretty things, she always compliments them as being "fancy." But when their character displays beauty, she compliments them as being "beautiful." Jenn's daughters are very pretty and always well dressed, so mom isn't advocating frumpiness. She's just trying to distinguish beauty of character from magazine-type of beauty.
I'll have to admit, as the mom of a baby girl, I'm relieved that I don't have to get into these deep discussions quite yet. It had not once crossed my mind that as Baby G gets older, I'm going to have to deal with these issues. And I'm going to have to make sure that Baby G doesn't think that Mommy only thinks she's beautiful when she's all done up. I want her to understand that she's beautiful because of who she is and not how she looks. (Although I do expect her to put herself together and be a good steward of the body that God has given her!) Part of being a girl mom involves the duty to teach my daughter how to be beautiful both inside and out. Talk about a high calling?!
Jenn's talk the othe night definitely gave me something to think about. It's okay that I'm slightly obsessed with everything glittery from the toddler department (can you believe that in less than 5 months we've already outgrown the infant section?), but my little girl also needs to learn that there's so much more to being a girl than dressing like a princess. Being a beautiful girl also involves having a spirit of meekness and modesty, having a submissive heart (vs. 5) and living without fear (vs. 6). And raising a beautiful girl means teaching my Baby G how to have a beautiful heart.
Very true. I have to say the newness of all the bows has worn off for me. She rips them out of her hair so I've given up! Something I learned in Bible study this season was to start telling her where her beauty came from. To make sure she knows that yes, she is beautiful, but God made her that way and for his glory and not hers! -AW
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