What I Want To Teach My Daughters About Beauty

As my daughters grow up and are starting to become more self-aware I see outside influences changing the way they view themselves.   Whether its friends, the lady at the grocery store, the images projected on their favorite TV Shows, magazines, and those Kardashians – they are everywhere; my girls are constantly watching.  I see how they stare at themselves in the mirror.   I’ve had to call them out on trying to wear make-up at times when it’s not approved.  I’ve had to explain why other children wear fake nails and why they can’t.  Why young girls would choose to have their lips enhanced or heaven forbid other parts of their bodies.  I’ve found myself explaining what real beauty is.

Girls -  real beauty cannot be purchased.  There is no product in this world, medical procedure, or cosmetologist that can create real beauty.  Real beauty shines from within.  It comes from love, kindness, courage and most importantly the way you treat others.  I want my girls to know that when you are beautiful on the inside it radiates and people are drawn to you.

Girls - your bodies are perfect.  Your bodies are strong and useful.  You were born with talents, some you've discovered and some you haven't.  Find your talents, develop them, share them with others, teach them to others.  Be thankful and proud of your body.  Take care of it.  Keep it strong. 

This is why you will wait for things like make-up and nails until your inner beauty has been perfected.  This is why I will beg you to get good sleep, eat well and dance.  Why?  Because I love you…and I am your mother.

A Loaf of Bread, A Container of Milk and A Stick of Butter

Please tell me you remember this from Sesame Street.  This magical little memory game a little girl sang on her way to the store for her mother.  It's here to help your memory.

Every other week I take my 93 year old Grandpa to the grocery store.  Every time we shop he buys the same things;

6 oranges
5 bananas
2 mangos
4 avocados
2 cans of soup
2-36 packs of Diet Dr. Pepper
3 packages of Klondike bars
Frozen Dinners
2 gallons of ice cream
Milk
Buttermilk
Cereal
Sour cream

As I follow him around the store I am careful not to interrupt his memory.  He looks back about every ten steps to make sure I'm there.  He smiles and keeps going.  Every employee at the store knows him.  They don't ever get mad when he digs out ripe fruit or peels one banana off each bunch till he's satisfied he's found the perfect one.  They smile nicely when he tells them to only use paper bags. 
Grandpa likes things done in a certain order and according to his routine.

We stroll out to the car where Grandpa always offers to help load up.  I know by now his legs are tired and he needs to sit.  He pulls himself into the car to rest and I quickly finish the job.  We get back to his house where I run in and "Clear the House".  Basically we look for any bad guys that may have slipped in through the windows that are nailed shut or a booby-trapped door.  (You've seen UP, right?  Every door has at least 3 locks.)  I bring in all the groceries and line them up on the counter where he can spend the next hour putting everything away.

As crazy as it is for me to make the 30 mile round-trip drive to the beach, I know that he needs this activity.  He needs to get out and get moving.   He needs a reason to get up, get dressed and hopefully shower.  He needs me as I need him.  He's still my Grandpa.