Can A Mother Make A Difference

I must admit, this blog is more of a call to arms and gather support amongst friends. I found myself, as a mother, yet again frustrated in my attempts to raise my moral children in an immoral world....

Last night, Kierstin and I were able to have a mother-daughter date. I was excited cuz she actually asked for it and we both LOVE Barnes and Noble. Of course, we headed straight for the "teen" section for books. I am always put off by some of the selections they put in the "teen" section considering teens are also 12-15 which is really young for some of the subject material they put in there (don't get me started on that). So we browse the books and I am inwardly shaking my head at some of the selections....

Then I turn around and there on a table, right next to the teen section and leading to the children's section are the "Valentine" books. Need I say what "selections" were on that table? They didn't really have any pictures on the covers but the Titles spoke volumes, and even worse were the ones that didn't that you might be inticed to pick up and be shocked to find the content.

They had a whole entire store to put this table and they put it there? They could have put it on the whole other side of the entry walkway on the adult section. Why did they put it there? Coincidence? Come on, part of sales is advertising. They think everything through. Like at Blockbuster where everything is NOT in exact Alphabetical Order. They disburse the big releases through the store and put the lesser knowns amongst them so they have a chance. I think every mother would like to kill the guy that, we will reluctantly concede, had the brilliant idea of putting candy in the checkout lanes.

No, they think these things through. Like how tempting it will be for these hormonal kids to pick them up and maybe even secretly buy them. How many of us leave our teens off to browse through Barnes and Noble?

I'm not saying I don't trust my daughter, I do. I am constantly thanking Heavenly Father for what a good girl she is and how she really stands for something and makes good moral decisions. But how much can you take when filth is constantly thrown your way?

So do we accept it, and say "oh well, just don't do it?" No, I think it is our obligation to be active and do something in whatever way we can. In fact, in a conference talk by the Prophet Ezra Taft Benson, he said it is our moral obligation to stand up for truth and righteousness. We must not sit complacently by. I think that is what's happening in this world. People are sitting complacently by and not taking any sort of action when they feel something is morally or ethically wrong.

You don't have to be outspoken or a crusader to do something. It is so easy to do something these days from the security of your own home. You can send a letter, write an e-mail or, as in my case, I made a phone call.

I didn't want to embarass Kierstin or make a scene. So this morning I called Barnes and Noble and asked to speak with the manager.. I politely gave my point of view. She suggested "well, teens are always in the sensuality section." I suggested that yes, but maybe some teens that are too embarassed to be seen in that section might find it so much easier to casually pick up one of those books when it's in their section anyways." She said she wasn't the head manager but would pass it on to him.

Will it make a difference? Probably not with just my call, but I am rather confident it would if several concerned mothers called in. That's how sales work. That's why they are constantly doing surveys; to see what appeals to the people. I'm going to go in on Monday, to see for myself if it did in this case. I'll keep you posted....

On another note, I wouldn't recommend going to see Bedtime Stories either. Not only was it not very well developed script, but I, and especially Danny did NOT appreciate the scene where he is standing on the beach with the very voluptious girl in a very tiny bikini. I was so conscience about how very long the scene seemed to go on with my 3 sons, especially my 11 year old hormonal son sitting right there watching wide eyed.

I always knew men were wired differently than women but I'm finding how much so all the time. Like Danny was so disturbed by another beach scene they had. This time the main girl had on enough clothes but apparently the extras sure didn't. Funny, I didn't notice so much but Danny sure did. Hmmm, do I think my boys notice too? I'm looking up an e-mail site for Disney.

Am I asking you to call in with me in these 2 instances, only if you feel so enticed. However, the next time something really bothers you as being morally or ethically wrong. Instead of being shocked, and shrugging it off; ask yourself instead; "Is there something I can do about this?" I believe it would make a difference.