When I was growing up, we had a loud, boisterous and hilarious friend of the family. I've modeled myself after him a bit save the volume and the irreverence. One 4th of July he'd had his share of Rainiers when we happened across a teenage girl with a purple mohawk, more piercings than apparent brain cells wearing a Skinny Puppy t-shirt. His response, in his best hick, closed-minded, slightly inebriated drawl, "that's somebody's daughter". I thought she was cute. But I was in my wannabe-goth/punk-but-have-no-black-clothes phase. I digress.
Anyway, it has always stuck with me as a smartass thing to say. Until I found out I was having a girl. Then, it was etched into my mind that all these images I see of females in today's world are possible "after pictures" of my little girl. My wife and I would marvel at an outfit of a too-young girl and I'd say, "that's somebody's daughter". At once funny and sobering...
In hopes that I always remember that all girls are to be cherished but with an eye for how to guide my daughter, here is the first in a to-become series of "somebody's daughter" posts.
Of course we start with the classic...the complex and ever evolving, revolving and devolving Ms. Spears who is not only somebody's daughter but also somebody's mother.
Baby acne. Nails that grow faster than we can keep them clipped. Spastic hands when fussy.