I got the inspiration for this blog from a book, “How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World”?  While I have yet to read the book, the title made me think about raising a daughter and the challenges we face in 2013.

Trash, filth, and sex dominate our lives.  Turn the radio on and hear “I’m Sexy and I Know it”.  Worse yet, ask any child over the age of four if they know the lyrics.  I bet they do, and they can sing it.

How can we raise our daughters to have style, grace, confidence, and poise when the odds are stacked so highly against us?  Target sells bathing suits for kindergarteners that wouldn’t be appropriate for college students.  Flashy clothing and skinny jeans are designed for toddlers.  Manners are hanging by a thread and young women are walking around with the words “Juicy” printed on their sweatpants.  The art of a simple black dress and pearls has been lost.  Today mini skirts rein. 

How do we fight this? 

How do we raise a Kate in a Kardashian world?

Kate Middleton is the picture of grace.  Kate’s confidence is blinding.  Her posture is perfect and her manners, impeccable.  Kate is the epitome of “less is more” and classic style.  She exudes the essence of grace. 

A “Kate” is not common.  We live in a world that worships celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.  Women who show everything, tweet everything, and leave nothing to the imagination.  The result?  Million dollar pay checks and magazine covers.

Raising a Kate is difficult.  How can we possibly compete with the trash that exists in the media?  We can’t.  All we can do is spend time teaching our daughters they don’t need to show it all.  Teaching them to edit themselves.  Teaching them that respecting themselves is a notable and important part of growing up.  Teaching them to dress appropriately and to love themselves.

As our daughters grow in age, there are so many things we will want them to know. I want my daughters to have a level of confidence that frightens men.  I want them to know how to dress for a luncheon, wedding, or funeral without having to blink an eye.  I want them to keep their chin up and skirts down.  I want them to fall in love with themselves before they give their heart to someone else.  I want them to be Kate’s. 

Life will challenge this goal for me.  It already has.  But, I’m not quitting.  I’m working on teaching my daughters grace at every cost.  I’m hopeful that one day when they are invited to a Luncheon they know that a black dress and pearls is always appropriate. 

Always.