on growing up

I've mentioned it a time or twenty that I'm not a huge fan of our girls growing up so quickly.  Turns out, they haven't listened to that instruction well.  *sigh*  Did I happen to mention that we've even paused the 'teeny-bopper' shows in our house?  There's been no Hannah Montana, Suite Life, Wizards of Waverly, Shake It Up, Good Luck Charlie, or Sonny With a Chance streaming through our television for several months.  No offense to those who allow their children to watch it.  It's just our choice.

And you're asking yourself why we let the girls listen to Justin Bieber?  ha!  Truthfully, they're not allowed to listen to the overly boyfriend/girlfriend songs repeatedly.  On their iPods, they have Never Say Never, U Smile, Pray, Born to be Somebody, Baby {I guess that's the exception}, and Somebody to Love {because that's what is being used in Gracie's hip hop class right now}.  And for the record, I'd never want the girls to truly crush on someone like him in real life.   He's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of a flirt with all of the ladies.  Seriously.

I suppose it's our way of pushing the 'pause' button on growing up so quickly.  For now.  We didn't see the need for our 8 and 10 yo to watch shows {and listen to music} catering to boyfriend/girlfriend relationships.  We'll be there soon enough.

Nator would rather listen to The Sound of Music songs on her iPod, anyway.  Love it.  She's a sweet, old soul.  *sigh*  When Justin Bieber's name is mentioned, she sort of just rolls her eyes.  ha!

With each new group of friends that we adopt, Gracie always finds a new crush.  It's been that way since she could talk.  While boys were playing with dump-trucks in the nursery, she was expressing her desire to, one day, marry {you fill in the blank}. 

Nator {now} quietly expresses her crushes, too.  And the realization that she thinks deeply about her future emerges when she grabs my hands and asks me if I'll help her pick out paint colors for her house, decorate it, plan her wedding, bring a baby into this world, and buy baby clothes.

*big, huge, deep sigh*

Girls.  We're just weaved together differently.

I've given speeches about how I'd like for them to be independent and not find themselves completely dependent on a man to care for them, but Gracie will hear nothing of it.  She wants her Prince Charming to sweep her off her feet and take care of her.  Remember, she's the one that said scrubbing toilets was not in her 'happily ever after'.  I'm sure we all wish it weren't in ours.

Real life is messy.  And it doesn't come with a manual.

Raising girls is a delicate balance of teaching true beauty in a world in which meaningful values are seemingly upside down.

Within reason, we do our best to filter everything the girls are doing, and try to anticipate what will come.  But we're not perfect.  And neither are our girls.  Shocker.  I know.

For now, we're holding on to 'pause' for as long as we can.  A new season in this parent/child relationship will be here soon enough.

For those who were interested in a video of the Bieber... This is my favorite.  About prayer... but the video shows him being love extended, too.  Sometimes, I think that's better.  ;)