A young woman in my area recently tried to commit suicide after receiving over 3,500 negative texts from her peers. Her attempted suicide left her a paraplegic. Her plight, and others that have recently been highlighted in the national news, make me worried about the world my daughters are growing up in. When I listen to news reports like this my mind starts to ask a lot of questions.
Will I let my girls have cell phones? Texting service? A Facebook account? Is Hannah Montana too sassy and too old of a show to let my eight-year-old watch? Is there anything decent on the radio these days? How can I raise daughters who value intelligence, virtue, and integrity more than the latest fashions or celebrities? Am I modeling the behaviors I value the most in women?
One of my favorite quotes comes from Margaret Nadauld, a former President of the Young Women’s program from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
“The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”
I completely agree with Sister Nadauld. I love associating with tender, kind, refined and faithful women and the world definitely needs more of them. When I meet women of this caliber I watch them intently and try to pattern my life after theirs. I have many good examples within my own family and local congregation. My goal is not only raise good little girls, but to be the mother of excellent women. I hope my influence as well as the influence of the women I associate with will be enough of a role model to combat the negative messages my girls receive in the media. If not, I will watch and pray always that the Lord will aid me in our common pursuit of bringing souls (including my own kids) to Jesus Christ.
As a mother of three daughters, with another daughter quickly on her way, my life may well be filled with obnoxious eye rolls and slammed doors, emotional outbursts and buckets of tears. Even now, I can’t think of a time of day when someone is not crying at my house. My girls may temporarily say they hate me when I won’t buy them certain clothes or allow them to attend immoral events. But I hope that over time my girls will recognize that when I say “No” I’m also saying “I love you.”
My mother-in-law sent me this YouTube video this week. I wanted to share it with all of you as well. It made me think about Margaret Nadauld’s quote and about my own daughters, whom I love tremendously.
A special thanks to Jenny Phillips for creating this video and sharing it on YouTube.
What a great video and a great quote. We sometimes forget that we are setting the example for our daughters. I worry about the things my daughter sees in the world too – and I worry about my son’s as well.
I’m going to send my girls that video — and their Young Women leaders, too!
So much in the world today says, “Here’s the ‘standard’ — you need to look like, act like, be like her.”
But you’re right — we need to focus on becoming like Him!
Truly, it’s easier since the world’s “standards” are driven by fickle trends and computer creations not reality. God’s standards bless and protect us, and help us as we strive to stand “steadfast and immovable.”
Thanks so much for the great reminder!
This is such a great video and I will definitely show it to my two girls. That is exactly what I hope they will strive for as they grow and mature.
great video. Thanks. I’m going to save it in my YW arsenal. 🙂
So beautiful and so true. I’m with Steph and I’m using this in YW!
This is a wonderful reminder to Old Mom Me that I shouldn’t worry so much about what I look like. When one is concerned with being like Him, there isn’t time to worry about the world’s standards of beauty. Taking care of myself and feeling attractive, specifically to my husband, are very important, but not being model thin and having the best hair and expensive clothes.