I had some extremely profound thoughts that I threw into the void that is Twitter, and will reiterate and expand upon in the slightly less fleeting-feeling void that is this blog.
It is about being on the one hand a woman, with the vanity/rational concern for one’s own looks that implies, and on the other, being a Mother Of Daughters, wishing to Set An Example.
Prior to having kids, I assumed a big part of parenting, at least should these kids be girls, was making sure to present yourself as low-maintenance, and indeed to strive to be that low-maintenance person, where personal upkeep is concerned. Don’t discuss diets (something I accomplished solely because a baby is too young to notice you losing the baby weight; have come to terms with being a few pounds up since kids and have decided that those are the child-lifting arm muscles because sure), don’t even contemplate anti-aging (I may have overestimated how much toddlers think about aging), and don’t do anything to change your natural hair texture lest they object to their own (which assumes they even have your hair texture).
Girls need to learn to love themselves for who they are, was my thinking. Was and is! But life is not always as you imagine it.
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