Dear Arden,
I know growing up you will see lots of young women that you look up to for guidance and inspiration behaving in ways that repulse you or cause you to question the things I say are acceptable. I know that I tend to sugarcoat these behaviors and say things like "It's still okay for you to like her music without condoning her actions." When I say this, what I'm trying to say is "I think she's bat guano crazy, but I don't want to tell you not to listen to her music because then you will listen in secret, and one secret leads to many secrets, and I don't want you to feel like you need to keep things from me." So please, enjoy listening to the Mileys, Britneys, and Black Veil Brides of the world; just remember you don't have to emulate their personal lives in order to enjoy the music.
This is your life, Baby. Be someone your kids will be proud of. Be yourself, and remember while you go through the "finding yourself" phase, that being someone you can look at in the mirror each morning is the most important thing.
Peer pressure can be daunting. I know that feeling like an outsider or that you don't fit in can be so hard. In those situations, take a step back to look and see if those kids model the behavior you want for yourself. If they are all wearing clothes that are too tight, making fun of the special needs kids, or talking back to adults, are they really the group of friends you want? You are a beautiful young woman with an amazing heart. Don't lose sight of that while trying to find your way in this crazy world. Hollywood isn't only made of Miley-Britney types. There are also Anne Hathaways and Hilary Duffs. Look for Kate Middletons and Audrey Hepburns, Cassandra Roys and Danielle LaFleurs... and go from there. I believe you can overcome the bar society has set for your generation. You will just have to forge your own way, my love. And I will be here for you every step of the way.
Always,
Mommy
