It's that time of year, once again. The monsoons have come, summer vacation is winding down, and it's time for kids to get back into the routine of school.
If you haven't already, you're probably in the process of cleaning out closets and heading to the mall for back-to-school shopping. In honor of students heading back to class, Good News Tucson is pleased to offer our first-ever issue featuring fashion.
This is my fourth issue as Editor, and this is by far my favorite issue! Not only are we highlighting the fact that young people can dress fashionably and maintain a sense of dignity; but we give guidelines to help you, the parent, help your kids wear what's in style without showing excess skin.
For most teens, what you wear can make or break you. Even though it may not be a teen's goal to dress immodestly, they want to wear the clothes that will help them "fit in." This includes becoming a walking billboard, wearing the popular brand names that are part of the teen culture.
If they wear the right brand names -- Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle, for example - they believe (and they may be right) that they are fitting in with their peers.
Fashion Reality Check
In the spring, I finally gave in and took my two daughters to Abercrombie & Fitch at the Park Place Mall. My youngest daughter (age 11) was entirely giddy, reminding me of the way she acts on Christmas Eve. What can instill that kind of excitement in a pre-teen? She purchased a $30 t-shirt that simply said "Fitch" across the front. I was thinking, "At Old Navy, I can purchase five or six t-shirts with a similar style for the same price as this ONE shirt!" But what made this shirt a prize was those five letters - F-I-T-C-H.
I guess in a way, there's a tendency for each of us to want to fit in and be accepted. We adults, too, are often conscious of the way people view us. Hair, clothes, career, vacation spots, and even hobbies can be placed under judgment. Peer pressure is not a respecter of age.
So…I guess I'm trying to say, be reasonable and understand that kids do face clothing pressures. At the same time, teach your children that their true identity is found not in what they wear, but who they are as individuals. Their self-esteem should not come from a shirt they wear, but a realization of their inner beauty and personality.
I hope you enjoy browsing through the pages of our fashion issue. We have several articles related to style, including an interview with local teens, and the challenges a local Christian model has faced regarding what she will wear.
(As for me, I'm going stay Tucson-casual: U of A t-shirt, khaki shorts and $2 flip-flops.)
Looking Ahead
You’re not going to want to miss our September issue! We’ll be addressing one of the most important questions we can ask as parents: “Are Our Kids Safe at School?”
Guns. Gangs. The availability of alcohol and drugs. These are some of the issues that come to mind when we think of school safety. But our kids are threatened in other ways.
Kids are bullied, and often the bullying goes from teasing to downright torment. Kids are often hurt on playgrounds as well. One local school district is facing three personal injury lawsuits. Then there’s the parent’s worst nightmare – are sexual predators lurking outside school grounds? This past year at the Northwest elementary school that my children attend, a note was sent home to parents saying that there was suspicious behavior from a man outside school grounds and that a girl had been followed home.
How safe is your child’s school? What are local schools doing to ensure that your kids are out of harms way? What can you, the parent, do? These are some of the issues we’ll be addressing next month. Check it out!
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