Let Kids Be Kids

Tonight, I dropped off my 11-year-old daughter at her junior high winter formal.

Sixth. Seventh. Eighth grade.

It was snowing hard. Temperatures in the single digits. Parents were pulling up to the doors, one car after another. I sat there in the parking lot and watched.

And watched.

And watched.

It was not one or two girls.

It was nearly all of them.

Dozens of cars. Dozens of children stepping out in skin-tight dresses, hemlines so short they could not bend over, sit down, or move normally without exposing themselves. High heels. Full adult styling. In eight-degree weather.

My mouth literally dropped open.

These are children. Barely into puberty. Still figuring out who they are. Still kids.

And yet this has somehow become normal.

That should terrify us.

Somewhere along the way, adults stopped protecting childhood. We stopped saying no. We stopped setting boundaries. We replaced guidance with silence and called it empowerment.

This is not empowerment.

This is adults failing kids.

Parents, this starts at home. Confidence does not come from how much skin a child shows. Self-worth is not built through sexualization. There are countless beautiful, age-appropriate dresses that celebrate youth without exposing it. Fingertip length. Longer hems. Shoes kids can walk in. Outfits that say celebration, not imitation of adult spaces children do not belong in.

Schools, this is on you too.

Dress codes exist for a reason. Not to shame. Not to control. But to create safe, age-appropriate environments. Especially at school events. Especially when kids are gathered, vulnerable, and trying to fit in.

Administrators. Principals. Superintendents. School resource officers.

This is part of your responsibility.

Looking the other way sends a message. That message says anything goes. No one is paying attention. No one is willing to step in.

And that is dangerous.

We live in a world where children are targeted. Where boundaries matter. Where adults are responsible for reducing risk, not increasing it. Allowing children to dress like adults opens doors that should stay firmly closed.

This is not about blaming girls. They are learning from what we allow. This is about adults who know better choosing comfort over courage.

When we normalize this, we normalize inappropriate behavior between kids. We blur lines between children and adults. We send the message that worth is tied to appearance and exposure. And in a world already struggling with human trafficking, exploitation, and predators, that is a risk we should never accept.

These girls are babies.

They deserve time. They deserve innocence. They deserve adults who are willing to protect them, even when it is uncomfortable. Even when it requires pushback. Even when saying no is unpopular.

Calling this out does not make someone old-fashioned. It makes them protective.

Let kids be kids.

Set boundaries. Enforce dress codes. Do better.

Childhood deserves guarding, not rushing.