Outside Beauty

 If you google "Beauty Children" expecting to find some inspiring quotes about the beautiful innocence of children, as I did just a minute ago, you will be disappointed. Instead you will find pages upon pages on children's beauty pageants, how France has recently banned those pageants, and essays on the hyper-sexualization of young children, particularly little girls. 

I have certain values for this blog.  I want it to be positive, life-affirming, and with photos and essays that anyone can read, even a child.  It is important to me that it not be vulgar, complaining, insulting, or judgmental. There is enough judging going on in the world without me adding to it, and when it comes to kids, I do not pretend that I know better than anyone else how to raise a child.  I also don't imagine that the problem with the far-too-soon-sexualization of girls is the whole fault of beauty pageants, but I do think we need to teach our girls that yes, of course they should be valued for their intelligence, wit, charm, kindness and all those good things on the "inside," but also that their outsides are beautiful, that their bodies are beautiful.  Not beautiful in spite of their flaws, or disabilities or crooked teeth or their height or weight.  Just regular old beautiful. 

I also wonder if we don't need to turn to our own behaviour and make some changes.  So, for instance, let's consider treating our own bodies with love, care, and respect.  Let's try telling each other how great we are and celebrate each other's successes instead of feeling threatened.  And here's another thought: let's teach our boys to treat their own bodies well and that all women deserve love, care, and respect - and maybe once in a while they will tell those women who are their friends/girlfriends/wives that they are "beautiful" instead of always telling them that they are "hot." Just thoughts.
 

Thoughts that caused me to reflect on yesterday, an exquisite fall day, a day to be spent outside.  Instead of driving, we walked to my daughter's piano lesson yesterday afternoon, and we played "I Spy" until we both saw a tree, heavy with its orange leaves, standing out amongst all the other autumnal trees.  My daughter said, "Please take a picture, mom.  It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!"

So I did.  And as I did, I said to her, "I agree.  And the leaves are quite beautiful too."

wishing you inside and outside beauty,
hk