Dear World

Dear World,

Let me introduce myself a little. I have a two year old son and a baby girl. I want to raise them up to be good, kind people who are respectful of the other gender. Who are chivalrous, who date for the purpose of marriage, and who get to know the person they then marry before they make the wonderful emotional and physical commitment that is sex. I know my ideals seem outdated and dumb to some, but they are solid ideals. Chivalry, respect, and waiting to have sex until marriage never hurt anyone.

Growing up, New Year’s Eve was a family event. We would watch movies, eat snacks, and just have a good time hanging out with friends and family. We would watch the ball drop and ring in the New Year together.

I watched a bit of the New Year’s Eve program on tv this year and I was both disappointed and horrified. I saw beautiful young women dressed and dancing like strippers on stage to songs talking about sex. I heard news people talking about how the theme of 2014 was “booty” and hopefully the theme of 2015 will be boobs. I turned it off and was glad my babies were safely tucked in bed and too young to understand it.

I don’t want my little boy growing up thinking this is normal! I don’t want him growing up thinking that girls are supposed to dress in underwear and bras barely covered by a skin-tight mesh suit. My swim suits are more modest than what the US portrayed as ideal at a family-centered celebration. World, I don’t want him to grow up thinking that very sexual dance moves and speech are appropriate. I don’t want my little man to grow up thinking of women as sex objects.

I want him to grow up knowing that boobs and butts are special, fun things for one man to enjoy with one woman, not for every man to look at and enjoy at their leisure. I want him to enjoy sex with his wife, when he is married, knowing those moves and that feeling are special. And I want him to respect every woman along the way, treating her as a precious creation of God, not just boobs and a butt with some skin in between.

I don’t want my daughter to grow up thinking that a woman needs to be able to wiggle her butt and dance sexily to attract a man. I don’t want her to grow up constantly comparing her body to the bodies of the women on tv, thinking she’s not pretty enough and doesn’t move her hips right. World, I don’t want my daughter to grow up thinking that she has to wear short shorts and a bra for a shirt in order to be considered attractive.

I want her to grow up thinking she is beautiful. I want her to take care of her body so that she can feel good about herself and so that her future husband can enjoy her body with her, when they are married. I want her to dress in a way that respects herself and respects the hearts, minds and souls of the men and women around her.

So, world, what are we doing? Why are we putting sex on stage, especially at a family event? Why are we ringing in the new year with what would be considered pornography just a matter of years ago? Why do we publicly throw away respect for the bodies of men and women?

And then we wonder why divorce is on the rise. Why mental illness is on the rise. Why split families, hurting kids, and younger and younger addictions are on the rise.

Dear world, please look at yourself. Please reflect on what you are doing to the hearts and minds of our young people. Dear world, let’s turn this back into a place of respect and chivalry, a place our kids can grow up knowing what’s really special, what’s really beautiful, and what’s really good.

Sincerely,

A loving mom of our future men and women