Because I was awake at this ungodly hour, and it sounded much better than going for a run, I checked Instagram. This morning, instead of the usual barrage of manicure pics, I noticed a ton of 6th grade girls (Yes, I follow 6th grade girls. They're my besties. Shut up.) posting things asking others to rate their hotness. I am struggling with this on a number of levels.
First of all, no one is hot when they're 11. No one is sexy at 12. You are just awkward. If you're lucky, it's a cute awkward. That's about the best you can hope for. I can say this because I was the most awkward of them all. My hair was stringy. I had bird legs. I was clumsy. It was awesome. I would never have asked anyone to rate my hotness, because I didn't care. That's what being 11 is for. You don't have to care when you're 11. You have all of high school to care before you get to not care again in college. It's the natural order of things.
Secondly, the boys who rate these girls need a swift kick in their tiny man parts. Or at least a time out or something. To hear the boys tell it, the girls should be thankful the boys even speak to them. Gentlemen, you are just as awkward as the ladies. Besides, saying things like "you get a C+" or telling a girl "you would be hot if..." is not smart game, little dudes. Girls have loooooong memories. They will definitely remember those comments when they're out of that awkward stage and you start texting them. Think it through.
My daughter knows she's smart. She knows she's beautiful. She doesn't need a boy with a bad Bieber cut and skinny jeans to tell her so. And, my son doesn't get to think its ok to rate girls like they're beef. I guess I will carry on being "the mean mom" not giving in to their constant quest for social media. I will continue to live life hearing "but all my friends are on Instagram" over and over and over, day after day after day... We all have a cross to bear.
Wise words.
ReplyDeletePerfect.
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome.
ReplyDelete