It’s the dilemma that parents face when their little boys and girls suddenly aren’t so little anymore.
Now one Cork mum has taken to Facebook to share her conflicting stance of her teen daughter’s desire to go to her first disco.
Writer and teacher Suzanne Brett has a 13-year-old, Olivia. And like many of her peers, Olivia is at an age when social outings are of top priority.
Suzanne admits that against her “better judgement” she has allowed her teenager to get a ticket to her first disco – which takes place on Friday, September 22.
“It’s a First Year disco and well supervised,” she explains. However, she also admits that her decision was a major “dilemma” and “stressful”.
“I know we were all young,” Suzanne continues. “I know it’s healthy and exciting to move into more independent socialising at the age of 13.
“I know it’s all ahead of her in the next couple of years – new friends, first crushes, first kiss, first love, first heartbreak.”
While the mum-of-one goes on to state that thoughts of “alcohol, drugs, or sex,” can’t be totally dismissed, what she actually finds most worrying is what daughter wants to wear.
“Since when has it been OK with parents for their young teens to be dropped at the disco semi – naked? I’m not joking!” she asks.
“A bralet and mini – MINI – skirt are what I’m being told ‘everybody’ wears. And having checked some social media accounts and asked around I can see she’s not far off the mark.”
Suzanne goes on to stress that “Olivia is not wild by any stretch”.
No longer a little girl ! First day of secondary school .. pic.twitter.com/9eynXJ30Rb
— suz b (@Suzanne_Brett) August 29, 2017
And she highlights that she herself is “not a prude”. However, the Cork woman adds that: “I just can’t come to terms with letting her out wearing next to nothing going to a disco.
“Why do young girls need to sexualise themselves so much in their dress?”
She wraps up by asking her fellow mamas to “be honest and help me out on this one,” also asking for guidance “on how to reach a compromise”.
It’s undeniably a tough one – even for mums of smallies, the school disco days are probably closer than we think.
So then… any HerFamily army advice for Suzanne?
