On Tuesday, my daughter, my baby, turns ten, thus entering the Tweenager phase. What the hell is a Tween/Tweenager exactly? According to Merriam-Webster it is a Pre-Teen, no more, no less. No special characteristics, no additional meanings, nothing, nada. Why then did we need a new word, a new classification? I’ll tell you why, Consumerism, nothing but sheer greed on the part of the manufacturing industry. Best way to create profit is to create “need” and what better way to create need than to create an entirely new classification of consumers. Normally I have no issue with capitalism, but when it targets those who are not fully informed nor aware they are being targeted, it annoys me greatly. However what annoys me even more is the parents who bought into this crap, for we all know very few tweenagers are independently wealthy, therefore have little purchasing power, but that doesn’t matter when mommy and daddy do and are all too interested in keeping up with the Jones’.
All I know is I am glad my beloved little girl is not materialistic (one of the benefits of being poor). She would much rather be surrounded by family and friends than piles of meaningless “stuff”. Don’t get me wrong, she wouldn’t turn down a toy or clothes if it was offered, I’m just saying she doesn’t demand things like most of the children her age I encounter. She’s not greedy, she’s not a show off, basically she’s not a spoiled brat as are so many now a days. So that leads me to my grievances regarding tween targeted marketing, and I would be shocked if I am the only one who feels this way…
- A tween has no use for a thong, or a push up bra, or anything seductive for that matter. What are the parents who buy these things thinking? “I think it’s time I started sexualizing my little girl”? WTF??? Is there anyone who can rationalize this? For that matter do people actually exist who find this type of behavior rational? If so their children, the future hookers of America, have my sympathy…
- A tween has no need to paint her face. Lip gloss yes, shimmery lotion on special occasions yes. Full out war paint? Mascara, eye liner, lipstick, blush, eye shadow??? HELL NO. She’s a little girl, not a burlesque performer. Let her enjoy being a little girl, do not let society and your need to be the “cool mom” force her to grow up before her time
- Bare midriff? Low rise Pants? String Bikinis (not normal little girl bikinis, slut bikinis)? Really? That is what you want to teach your daughter? That her value comes from how much attention she can draw with her body? And people wonder why so many girls have body issues. Just look at the way parents dress them and wonder no more
- Fake hair? Fake Nails? What’s next, breast implants? Why on gods green earth to parents project their insecurities on their offspring? WHY? Just because you aren’t satisfied with your hair or nails does NOT give you the right to pass on these insecurities to your daughter. Let her shine, let her natural beauty shine, don’t be afraid to step away from the flock and let your daughter be herself rather than the clone of every other girl with insecure parents.
I could go on and on but I am getting angry just typing this
Angry at a society who sees nothing wrong with sexualizing children as long as there is a profit in it for them
Angry at parents who see nothing wrong with forcing a child to grow up before her time just so they can keep up with the Jones’
Angry at myself for not realizing just how bad the situation was until I was forced to face it personally.
I’m just angry, but unlike most people, I will use my anger to make life hell for those intent on trying to subvert my parenting and make my daughter think that dressing and portraying herself like a street walker is a good thing. God this is gonna be fun
