Lyrics I think would sound great sung by Demi Lovato.lol

About Self

Im tired of cryin
Im tired of all the useless tryin
...just wanna believe
to the point that Im called naive
tho they dont know i see--
all the eyes that roll (in front of me)
...cuz they don't understand
that half the time I just pretend
for the sake of peace....
& its about time that I be
that I be, the real me

(accompanying music inspired by Camp rock, jonas brothers Demi Lovato, etc.)

Raising a preteen who's above & beyond the average intellectual, reasoning & social limits of ten...I've been pulled into watching more & more of these adolescent-friendly, emotionally driven movies & tv shows like cheetah girls, highschool musicals, camp rock & on...while she evaluates, critiques, justifies & sympathizes with each & every character, & their every move. I listen, amazed as I hear her differing views of rational & emotionally-driven behaviors...from a ten year old whose mind busily & accurately discerns various choices made on the parts of the characters. Much of the reasoning is beyond my immediate scope of preferred simplicity. Lets face it; my kid is a mini-adult. (some say mini-mel, but maybe not so. lol)
But besides all that, (& the fact that there will be no choice where university is concerned, that is for sure, lol)...my point is that no matter the script, the character, the fashion or characters in the movie...its all about Fitting in. Acceptance of self. Acceptance of others...& the good old rule, 'Treat others as you want to be treated'...while of course having some fun on the way. (again, of course:)

Other Christian parents seem shocked at some of our choices with Em. And thats their opinion, although, being a little less vocal about it, might save my blood pressure from rising. These choices I refer to are things so petty & normally non-issue, such as Bratz dolls, PG movies, selective secular music, wearing nailpolish at 8 yrs. & getting an extra ear-hole. Allowing her to attend the school dance, sleepovers & on & on. Ridiculously petty, non-life altering issues. Yes my daughter has heard the word shit. And many others. And probably said some of them at one time or another & so has nearly every other kid. But her soul isn't doomed by that. She loves her God deeply & her prayer life is inspiring. She's led several of her friends to the Lord, brought countless to church, & is the most compassionate, loving spirit I've ever known. "So, uptight, Christian parents, you need to relax. Wake up, your child is not going to join a cult if they want to wear a high school musical t-shirt or pierce their ears." Many people, let's face it; mostly terrible parents themselves, have over the years spouted their advice, opinions & 'answers' to questions I've never asked. So now in the same right, I am going to also share my insights, starting here.


See, this in my opinion, is how it should be: as Christians, we need to pay attention to what our kids are into & go with it....as silly or 'worldly' as it may seem. That said, of course with guidance & gentle correction where need be. Because there's a reason they're interested in these things & there's always a message behind it anyway...& its usually not much different than the message meant for us. Everyone wants to know more about themselves & how to live a good life, with good relationships. Life is life, whether from a godly view or world view, our kids are going to ponder both. I want my daughter to know the difference between the two...before she's out there on her own.

I believe there's a way to expose our kids to the world in a way that will prepare them, without fully surrendering them. Because, we do live here...so sheltering them from our surroundings will only prove harmful in the end. Kinda like a deer in headlights...the headlights of sex, violence, drugs, poverty etc. Too many Christian families live in fear; of their children conforming to an evil world or getting hurt by it...so they 'help them' turn a blind eye to the realities of life. With good intentions, these kids are kept safely in a bubble...& we all know kids like that...& there is NOTHING that is safe about it. We train & discipline our children up to know God, & to know/utilize their spiritual armor, while sometimes neglecting to arm them up with experience & knowledge; to be fully aware & aquainted with society's shortcomings, pressures & deceit. I worry for these kids. Because I was one of them. My parents certainly meant well...but it took a lot of heartache & tears from learning the hard way when some of it could have been prevented. If I had been more prepared.

Olivia Newton-John along with ALL fabulous pop music was forbidden in our home. But I found a way to listen to it anyway. Dance was of the devil too. But my friends & I still performed dance routines after school, even in front of the class. Rebellion? Maybe, likely. But not what I'm condoning. Kids are curious. Humans are curious, its our nature.

As human beings, with different countenances & giftings, personalities & interests, its up to us as parents to raise our kids up in their 'bent'. Some kids are affected more dramatically than others in different situations, so I'm not saying that listening to several genres of music is for everyone. Or that every child in a Christian home should have piercings, trendy clothes or take dance lessons.

Like Paul said, "Everything is permissable-but not everything is beneficial." (1 Cor. 10:23) My husband & I enjoying an occasional glass of wine or drink among friends responsibly, is in our opinion, a healthy way for our child to see first-hand how alcohol is meant to be used, so she's prepared to know the difference between that & alcohol abuse.

So many people wrapped up in the clutch of failed tradition & suffocating limitations as parents, aren't getting it--& not looking at the true picture. Real life...so quick to judge & correct. Perhaps it is I, a mother with effective parenting skills (& a great kid to prove it:), am the one who should be giving these rude, 'dillusional spouters' the parenting advice. Give me a call, if you're reading; I'd be happy to teach you a few things.