Just Another Manic Mommy

I Found a Thong!

Dear Manic Mommy: My daughter is 13 and she is a great child. The only this is she's starting to do some things, like her grades have been dropping, and I found a thong on her. She said it was because she was getting teased at school because people could see her underwear lines through her pants. And on top of that, I don't know whether or not I should let her wear eyeliner. What should I do?

Manic Mommy: You know, I think you answered it right off the bat with stating the very obvious fact that your daughter is a great child. And that's the point you have to remember. She is a great child. Also, that she is a teenager! The fact that my daughter is only nine is awesome because I feel that I am learning so much from your questions, so when my darling Diva comes home with her first thong (and believe me, she will!), I will be fully prepared!

The thong thing. I really do think it might be a standard piece of clothing for teens these days, and really, the underwear lines line has some validity to it. A good friend of mine has a daughter who plays on the high school volleyball team and the exact same thing happened to her. She came home one day with a thong because everyone else could see the lines through the Spandex volleyball shorts she had to wear during games.

It sounds like your daughter is just being 13, and trying to fit in. It can be so tough, and there's so much peer pressure, and if her biggest issues are really just underwear and eyeliner, I'd say you are doing some pretty good parenting so far! As for the grades, I'd make a deal with her - have her get her grades back up to where they should be, and then let her wear the makeup.

I think the important thing here is the fact that you are communicating with her, and that you keep those lines of communication open, especially in these difficult years of growing up. Let her know you're concerned. Let her know you're willing to listen to what's going on in her life, and that you want to work to come up with a solution that will be appropriate for her age.