J2's First Homecoming...

Living...loving...laughing...and sometimes crying...

All ends well for my "little" boy after his first homecoming. The girl he really wanted to take (and the one I had all the intel on) didn't want to go with him...at least another girl that openly admitted "liking" him TOLD him so. Reliable? Not so sure. Of course that made him too nervous to ask her anyhow. Can't blame the poor young man...especially for his FIRST homecoming at a school whom he's just getting to know everyone. So he asked another girl. She said yes. They went as friends and later found out being friends was best. Not too much in common. First sad part is I had an ex-coworker tell me she asked the first girl if he was going with J2??? She said, "NO. I would've but he never asked me." Ouch! I did tell J2. I didn't know what else to do...and he was a bit bummed. But I think he felt good knowing she really did think he was cool. The second sad part is this years homecoming had lots of "issues" attached to it with the new superintendent's dance rules. Apparently, the school had a dance last year that was too "full of bumping and grinding, etc" that the faculty was determined this school district would not be known for that again. In my experience, any time you have to bring "balance" to something anywhere it sometimes calls for the opposite extreme...in this case that's what happened. There were five major TV stations covering it and there was a mandatory meeting called to discuss the dance "issues". Apparently, some girls came dressed out of "code" and there was "dirty dancing" anyhow and these people were asked to leave or comply. J2 told me they were allowed to dance with their arms stretched out on top of the others shoulders swaying back and forth. Can you picture???? J2 didn't know any different...at least that's what I like to think...and the seniors were really mad. Some crying. A mother told off the superintendent at the meeting and then wrote a "nasty" note about him, in the newspaper, and all the faculty that she would never respect them again b/c of this. They ruined her daughters homecoming and was really p-d off! She said the superintendent and principal needed to "get together with the times". Wow! I'll let you all form your own opinions about that statement. But just think...can you knowingly imagine your 17 yr old daughter "bumping and grinding" with some young dude out on the dance floor? I think not!!!! The superintendent didn't either. They also required the girls to wear dresses that didn't show cleavage and had at least 3 inch wide straps. Don't know what to think about that yet. I know it would be hard to shop for a dress like that. Of course, as a mother, I want my children to remain as pure as possible...but hey, we can't avoid the world. It's tough finding that balance as a Christian mother. Being a parent isn't easy and I don't see how anyone can do it without the guidance of a "Higher Being". I know that without Christ I would not know what is okay or not okay. Obviously, to me, it's a matter mostly of the heart. Personally, if girls felt valued and good about themselves (had a great realtionship with daddy and found love there) they might not be as prone to show the "cleavage", I think. However, thinking back to when I was a teen...it was all about getting attention...almost no matter what it took. Goodness, it's so different to view life with children. I don't want to be a religious freak but I don't want to deny purity either. I want my children to remain pure and wait for their spouse until their wedding night. I realize that's a high expectation in today's world but none-the-less it's obtainable...and I know people who have proven it to be possible. If that makes me a "religious freak" then so be it. Being a parent of a teenager is one of the most challenging things I've ever faced. I realize how much I fall short of "knowing" how to be a parent...and with each stage of life it changes...the "rules" etc. Looks like back to the drawing board. I need to do some more studying from the more wise folk. Any insight? I realize I've probably stirred up a lot of opinions here...please, I'd love to hear!!!! I'm no perfect parent...don't claim to be...but I have personal beliefs and values and my goal is to do "better" than the last generation...maybe to "get a little more things right from the get-go" instead of living in regrets. I believe with Christ it's possible...and only with Him. Otherwise, I have no supernatural power to be any different than anyone else, nor my children. God can only be good...and I'm holding Him to it! Deep subject but a reality for me right now...Still love me?