So this is pretty great:
I chose to say what's on there because I got a lot of 'good natured' ribbing as a teen and young girl about being busty, developing early, being pudgy, etc. My mom told me to 'suck it in' during family photos (and I still find myself doing it to this day). I'm grown up now and can defend myself if necessary but kids? Kids all over the place need unconditional love. UNCONDITIONAL. That really means something; love your kid no matter what, no matter if they're smart, stupid, fat, thin, not conventionally pretty or handsome, or if they're stunning. Your kid doesn't exist on this earth to please you and make you look good. YOU exist to make sure they become a good person. That's it. They can't do that if you shame them, if you set them up for a lifetime of self-doubt and hate, and punishing their body, and maybe even hurting themselves in the long term. Please, stand up for your kids, for your neighbour's kids, for the kids in your kid's classes, for the kids you see walking through your neighbourhood-they all deserve to be loved just as they are.
A reminder; Monday's contest to find a new saying for my sign closes Sunday night at midnight PST with the winner announced in Monday's post. The winner will recieve a pair of handmade, sterling silver and semi-precious stone earrings courtesy of yours truly! Thanks to everyone who's entered so far. Have a wonderful weekend!
"Your kid doesn't exist on this earth to please you and make you look good."
A.Freaking.Men. And parents who aren't bothered about their child's self-esteem (and I had one - my mother said, when confronted about how her words affected me, that she didn't BELIEVE in self-esteem) might at least bear something else in mind: they will choose your nursing home, because there ain't no way they'll want to spend enough time around you to be your old-age carer.
Your pic is awesome - I have to get my finger out and get my husband to take one of me for this campaign.
Thanks for the awesome comment, Emerald. I think our parents (people 40+), because they grew up in such a different mindset, really dont' have any way of 'getting' concepts we have today, like rewards instead of punishments (especially spanking; I don't spank but my parents and parents in law think it's perfectly ok), and more, are foriegn and therefore, Not Ok. Every generation does things a little differently.