| I remember when I was a little girl, oh about | | | | the way. Even though I dressed up sexy with |
| 11 years old, I had a really good friend | | | | lots of make-up, jewelry and skimpy dresses, |
| named Chris. From the 3rd grade on, we went | | | | I knew that it was all in fun and it did not |
| to school together and I used to spend | | | | cause me to have bad judgment or immoral ways |
| practically every other weekend at her house. | | | | when I got older. When my daughter was a |
| My family was poor and my mom didn't really | | | | little girl, I used to let her dress up in my |
| dress up much, but Chris' mom did! She had | | | | clothes, but I didn't have any fancy or sexy |
| the feather boas, the high heel slides with | | | | dresses for her to play with. I almost wish I |
| the feather puffs and tassels, along with the | | | | had, because I would have loved for her to |
| most glamorous dresses. Boy did her mom have | | | | experience the joy that I did growing up. |
| some sexy dresses! But that was the fun of it | | | | |
| all. Chris' mom would dress up on Friday and | | | | This brings me back to the subject of this |
| Saturday nights and go out on the town, | | | | article. The question is: "Are Bratz Girls a |
| leaving me and my friend Chris (along with | | | | Negative Influence on Little Girls?" My |
| her two younger brothers) home, with | | | | answer would have to be "No." I feel that if |
| instructions that we were not to go outside | | | | you give a little girl the freedom to pretend |
| or leave the house for any reason whatsoever. | | | | and live in the world of make-believe, and |
| After her brothers went to bed, Chris and I | | | | just enjoy being a little girl, she will grow |
| would go into her mom's room and play | | | | up happy, healthy and filled with the good |
| dress-up. We would try to dress up as sexy | | | | morals that her parents instilled in her. The |
| and as glamorous as we possibly could. We | | | | key here is parents need to instill morals in |
| would put on make-up, jewelry, fishnet | | | | their children and let them know that |
| stockings, heels, boas, sequined, silk, | | | | characters like Bratz Girls are only make |
| taffeta or other fancy dresses, put up our | | | | believe; and that girls their age really |
| hair and just have a ball! Those were some of | | | | don't dress that way or wear make-up unless |
| the happiest times in my life. | | | | they are "playing" dress-up. Did you know |
| | | | that playing dress-up is a natural part of a |
| Now I am all grown up, with grown children of | | | | young girl's life? You can basically consider |
| my own and 4 grandchildren - with one more on | | | | it to be a rite of passage. |