How long has it been since you went to the mall??

I lived in Rexburg, Idaho for approximately, a long time. It is 30 minutes to the nearest mall! And its a tiny mall at that. So I almost never really felt a need to go there. Ever since I moved, I've been poor. Well, I live in San Antonio now where there are apparently several of them. I went tonight to help a friend shop for a summer dress she could wear to church. Well goodness gracious great balls of fire! I had this horrible flash forward to someday having a teenage daughter who wants to go shopping at the mall. How can I tell her no way! Well the answer came as I was talking to my friend. Her and her boyfriend were somewhere, I can't remember where or when and I'm sure the details are unimportant, but a few paces behind them was a little family walking. The conversation went something like this:

Little girl: "but Mom, why can't I have 5 inch plastic platform heels? 'So and so' has them!"
Mom: "Because you're not a hooker!"

Ha! how can you argue with that right? Not that 5 inch plastic platform heels necessarily make you a hooker of course. I know plenty of girls that can pull that off in a classy way, but that will be my answer to my little dears if any of my girls ever get the idea in their heads of wanting to dress like...well, like that. Holy cow when did "fashion" get so trashy? So I haven't been to the mall in a while, but I also don't think I've been living in a hole this whole time. Have you seen the movie 13 Going On 30? The part where the 2 girls both have to present their big ideas for the new direction of the magazine? I know they were trying to show the 2 extremes, but I like the first, slightly scary, supposed best friend's presentation is exactly what I saw in one of the stores I went in to. Frightening indeed.

Anyway, I freaked out for a moment, terrified about one day having to try and help my girls understand why that is not cool, and I know it's only going to get worse. I applaud all of the mothers who have taught my generation of daughters well, the mothers now who face teaching their little ones, and the little ones that will someday become the future mothers and will have to teach their daughters amidst the scarriness that will only continue to get worse.

Thank goodness for a living prophet and the truthfulness of the gospel restored right? It makes the job of motherhood seem almost do-able.