Keep what’s under your clothes off your phone

Dear Future Daughter

I am so happy we did not have cell phones with cameras built in when I was in middle school/ high school. In fact, I did not even have a cell phone until my senior year of high school. I was so jealous of all my friends with cell phones and texting had just come out… ohhh I remember vividly how much I wanted one. My mom would let me use hers when I went out with friends, you know “in case of emergencies” and I finally got one for my birthday senior year. She was actually so sweet; I just failed my driver’s test and was hysterical on my way to work at the local coffee shop and she secretly put it into my purse. I walked to the back of the shop to put my stuff away and I heard this vibrating noise. Yep, she was calling me. Awwww… right? Anyway, I totally veered off course there. Back to sexting.

Again, I did not have this kind of technology when I was young and impressionable. You know the years 10-16. Where you have a group of friends and you think you are so cool and want to impress boys so bad. Thank God! I was a super nerd, a bit chunky, divorced parents, a dad who was dating (it seemed at the time) a skinny confident blonde, and way too much time on my hands. I did not date when I was younger (not that people actually date at that age, more like stating to the class they like each other) but I so badly wanted to. So badly wanted to be popular. My friends and I would do these 3 way calls, where a friend would call up a boy I liked and ask him if he felt the same way, of course without knowing I was on the call. Always no.

I understand how painful these years are and how badly you want to be liked. But I promise you, no good can come out of taking naked pictures of yourself and sending them to your boyfriend or a boy you like. Please listen to me, you are worth so much to me and I haven’t even met you yet. To me you are the most beautiful, wonderful person and I want everyone to know that, especially that boy you like because he has to know how great you are. But if he wants you to send him pictures of yourself to get him to like you, he is NOT WORTH YOUR TIME. Pictures last a lifetime, even long after the moment has passed. As much as we want to believe that people are good, they are human and gossip is a part of our nature. God forbid the pictures are passed around to your peers but far worse is they come back to haunt you later in life, when you run for president or become a movie star (which you will because you are smart and awesome.)

Love Ya

~M