We CAN Stop

At the risk of giving a certain young lady more unnecessary publicity, as a mom it's hard not to comment on her recent escapades and wonder what happened to a girl who seemed to have a promising career as a singer.  (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, Google the word "twerking".)  I think much of the answer can be found in the lyrics of her song:

It's our party we can do what we want

It's our party we can say what we want 

It's our party we can love who we want 

We can kiss who we want

There are no boundaries - no restrictions - no respect.  Maybe I sound like a nagging mother, but she sounds like a petulant child in her own version of "Home Alone." She seems bent on rejecting anything remotely related to restraint:

This is our house 

This is our rules 

And we can't stop

And we won't stop 

We run things, things don't run we 

We don't take nothing from nobody.

I really don't care if she is determined to throw her life and her body around like they are things, but  I don't want my kids to think this is acceptable, mature or smart.

Last night I sat down with my 10 and 12 year old and confirmed they had not seen the video.  However, my daughter did find a still photograph on Instagram and my son saw the video for the song.  I reminded them that their bodies and lives are not things that they own and can do with what they want.  They were created in the image and likeness of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit.  

I held up a pencil.  I explained that a pencil is a thing you can own - you can do whatever you want with it.  You can snap the lead, stick it in an ant hill, break it in half, throw it in the trash.  I then asked them if their bodies were pencils.  If so, you can do what you want, say what you want, love who you want, kiss who you want.  It doesn't matter, your body and your life are things you own.  Problem is, bodies aren't pencils or things to be owned or thrown about.

I think my kids got the message.  I wish Ms. Cyrus would too.

cindy