13 going on 30; is it our fault?
Occasionally, I think it’s not so bad to grow old. While browsing through our daily paper, I came across an ad inviting mothers and daughters to attend a “trunk show” for First Communion and Flower Girls!
I don’t think I could keep up with the pressure of being a mom these days. The really awful challenge to protect your child from the dangers lurking everywhere is obviously not seven year old “fashionistas”! The frightening thing is you cannot relax when you have the children ’safe and sound’ at home. I read horror stories of predators invading privacy via e-mails or wireless texting, and to skim through the television programs offered today is shocking!
Peer pressure is a far cry from the problems I fretted about many years ago with our five. I believe most parents are genuinely concerned about the choices available to a child in this 21st century. But I can’t help wondering if we (parents) are contributing to the grow-up fast mentality so prevalent these days.
In the past, graduation was reserved for those earning a high school diploma. How many of us have attended or hosted pre-school, kindergarten, middle school and junior high “graduation” programs –and loved them??
In days of yore, a high school graduation party meant a day long visit to a nearby amusement park. Now, “spring break” includes high school and college students and many of the “breakers” are no longer satisfied to travel to Florida, but to Mexico and “the islands!” When you’ve had three or four graduations, not to mention several week long (minimum) spring flings, it doesn’t seem to me there’s much to look forward to!–As Peggy Lee lamented “Is that all there is?”
By the way, those little First Communicants won’t have to worry–as an extra service, the store will provide a registration form so NO ONE in your church will wear the same dress!!
