*giveaway is now closed. congratulations to comment #34 – stephanie!*
Having two girls that are rapidly growing up, I've been confronted lately with how I can raise them to look beyond outward appearances. Even at the young age of seven, my daughter is becoming aware of her looks: becoming opinionated about her clothes and worrying about her hair, asking me if the outfit she picked out looks cool. It worries me. She wants to cut her hair because "no one has very long hair like me" and worries "Does this match? Is this shirt okay, Mom?" I want to tell her everyday how beautiful she is… but I don't want to have her thinking that is what is most important.
But this is our society. Our daughters are bombarded by artificial beauty – airbrushed, surgically enhanced, dangerously thin people dominate television, movies and magazines. Rather than celebrating differences, we accept a standard of beautiful (that is unrealistic) and mercilessly compare ourselves to it. Does anyone feel they are beautiful enough? Or thin enough?
I'm not judging – Heaven knows I struggle with this myself and I should be old enough to know better. What can I possibly do for my daughters? The only way I can think to combat this in my daughters is to fill them with Truth.
- I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14
- Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Prov 31:30
- Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4
So this is why I loved the newest VeggieTales movie called Sweetpea Beauty
Honestly, I was practically in tears during this one – it was just such a fabulous message that I want to instill in my little girls. Every little girl should watch this!
Check out the trailer here. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. I cannot recommend this one enough!
VeggieTales is giving one lucky Girlymama reader a copy of Sweetpea Beauty!
Here’s how to enter:
Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment sharing how you encourage the children in your life to see their inner beauty.
Extra Entry #1: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you subscribed to Girlymama's feed by email or in a reader.
Extra Entry #2: Leave another comment telling me in what way you promoted this contest (i.e., posting about it on your blog or Facebook, or Tweeting about it.
Contest ends Friday, August 13th. Entries such as "Enter me" or "I want to win" will NOT be counted. Winners will be selected by Random.org, announced back here on this post, and notified via email with further instructions. If I don't hear from the winner in 48 hours, I will be choosing a new winner.
Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of Sweetpea Beauty for review purposes. I was not compensated financially for this post. As always all opinions are mine.
About Melissa
As the mother of 2 little girls, I struggle with this also. I just found a print to hang in their bathroom that says Confidence is Beautiful. We also talk about how we look just as beautiful without makeup as we do with it. And, I always tell them to just smile…. it’s the prettiest thing to look at!
I also subscribe via rss
by not comparing them to celebrities or friends even or each other! That they are ther own person!
We talk about how our actions make us beautiful!
We talk about what are things that make us a good person..kindness, friendship, etc.
I tell my daughter how she treats people is what makes her beautiful.Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
I encourage my daughter by telling her God made her beautiful in every way. That she is perfect in his eyes. I also talk to her about her gifts as a person
tweet http://twitter.com/kaiasmommy/status/20860584931
I expect I have a few months until A expresses anything about beauty – only because she isn’t talking yet
I encourage my daughter to see her inner beauty by reading library books about women and girls from around the globe. We read stories about truth, honesty, purity, and bravery. I try to emphasize the importance of these qualities over outward appearance.
I am subscribed via email.
My kids have no lack of self-confidence, so I’m not sure what we did to get them so positive about themselves.
I tell them that their actions of love and kindness towards others brings out their inner beauty.
I told my daughter that beauty is not always on the the outside but beauty is skin deep (from the inside)! Thanks.
jackieque@comcast.net
We talk about how much ‘actions’ play a part in ‘beautiful’ – if someone’s pretty on the outside but is mean or gossipy, somehow they seem a lot less attractive than the person who is kind and considerate.
I am always reminded about the movie, Shallow Hal, wish it didn’t have so much ‘adult’ content, would be a great one to share with the kids, LOL!
I follow your blog on my blogger feed, all new posts show up there – does that count?!
…and just added a link to this post in my FB status!
Around here we say, “Beauty IS as beauty DOES” on a regular basis, and we mean it. Yes, we compliment looking good, but more so we compliment doing good in the family, at school, and in the world.
I have always raised my kids with the awareness that looks are irrelevant. A person is never to be judged by appearance.
I subscribe via email
Ali I couldn’t agree more. Chloe is already asking for lipstick for her birthday – I will remember the phrase!
I don’t agree that looks are irrelevant though. They SHOULD be irrelevant but they aren’t.
I try to always encourage my children that beauty is on the inside. And about the way that they care for others. From working at the shelter to compassion for someone elses pain.
Thank you so much for the giveaway.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I am subscribed via email as jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com.
We have always told our daughter how much she is loved by us and by God. I love the song Fingerprints of God and There will never be a more beautiful you.
I encourage my daughter by wha’s inside not outside. They see how I am so now I am proud to see how giving, kind they are.
carla
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
I focus more on their talents and kindness to others than their looks.
By finding at least one thing a day to compliment them on.
we talk about the things that my daughter likes about here what are not associated with outer beauty
I subscribed to your feed via mail (same as in my profile / this post)
here is my tweet
http://twitter.com/rosidentevil/status/20997560400
I try to encourage my daughter that it’s what’s on the inside that counts and how we do positive things, by helping others and being kind to others.
We always tell my daughter how special she is because she’s the love of our life and that will always be true.
All the kids tell each other things they like about each other. It’s a way for them to love each other.
Reminding her she is God’s princess because of her heart, and not her looks!
As you know, we also have two little girls and this is a topic that is near-and-dear to my heart.
I try to encourage true beauty in two ways:
1. By example – I try not to stress too much about my own body, weight, hair, etc.
2. By stating things overtly – “Beauty comes from your heart” is a favorite phrase of mine.
i encourage our children to see their inner beauty by talking about how we treat others and ourselves is more important than how we look
I let them dress themselves and pick out their own clothing each day and don’t worry if they don’t match
I subscribe to your blog’s rss feed thru google reader.