NaBloPoMo: Four

Prompt 4: Tell us about a time you bent to peer pressure.

Do you remember 7th grade? You know that year, when you're incredibly awkward both physically and mentally. You're navigating the social world of middle school (that ends up being so much like the adult world) while figuring out how to act when your hormones are out of whack and you've got curly hair you just don't know what to do with (or was that just me?).

Photo credit: Owlpacino on Flickr

I can't remember a specific scenario of bending to peer pressure, but I remember bugging my parents to buy me something name brand to wear to school. I grew up shopping at thrift stores and getting new clothes once a year thanks to Walmart's layaway program. I finally convinced my mom to take me to TJ Maxx to buy new clothes. I even offered to pay for the clothes using money from my own savings account. I was the awkward fat girl with curly hair and glasses who couldn't apply makeup to save her life, and I thought by wearing the brands the other kids wore would make me more normal. Obviously, in retrospect, that didn't work out and I eventually grew into my own personality and skin (and prefer to shop at thrift stores now).

I pray we can raise our daughter-to-be to not give in to such pressures in order to feel accepted. I want her to recognize that her worth is found internally, not through keeping up with what everyone else is doing/wearing/thinking/etc.