AT WHAT AGE DO YOU ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN SENSE OF STYLE?

So maybe Willow Smith is playing a role, just as her parents do on movie screens. Seeing her in red carpet photographs I asked, what parent would let their child dress like that? There is nothing too inappropriate about the way Willow Smith dresses, but it is, to an extent, excessive. I could hear my mom in my ear saying “As long as I’m paying for your clothes, you will wear what I say.” Although a child is able to choose what they want to wear, I would think there is a parent in the background giving that child a sign of approval or disapproval. When it comes to artistic parents, I understand their having the need to allow their child to openly express themselves. To add to my reasoning, I question what is appropriate. Whose standards are we living by as it applies to appropriate styles in fashion? Someone may look down on me because I’ve purchased Wal-Mart sneakers for my child. Once again looking back at my mother’s way of thinking, I reiterate her ethics to my own child “As long as I’m paying for your clothes, you will wear what I say.”

Getting back to the topic at hand, at what age do you allow your child to express their own sense of style? It seems as though society is dressing our children. And they are not doing a good job at all. There is no longer a filter. There is no longer censorship. Life and art is as raw as it gets. Remember Miley Cyrus on the cover of Vanity Fair back in 2008? The Miley Cyrus Vanity Fair cover, in my opinion, was not artistic. Society is angered at perverse men that are attracted to these children, but the same society presents these children as sex objects. Although some of these children are entertainers, we can not forget that they are still children. Willow Smith is no Miley Cyrus when it comes to racy fashions. Nonetheless, they are both beautiful and extremely talented girls.

I appreciate a parent that opts not to silence their child’s voice. But in the same instance, a parent should not silence their own voice. Children still need parents. Children need direction and guidance. Parents should guide their children in the right direction. The world has become so screwy that parents aren’t leaders anymore. They are following their children’s guide in their quest to be the “cool mom” or the “awesome dad.” My goal is to be the “respected mom.” I could care less if I’m considered “cool.” What isn’t cool is an out of control child. With that being said, parents need to regain control of their children. We need to allow children to be children and not living as young adults (young in age, but living an adult lifestyle). A child is a child and a young adult is at least 20.