An Open Letter to my Daughter's Future Mother-in-law.
I'll never forget the advice that I received while I was pregnant, everyone is so quick to tell you all the things that you need, or what they think you need to know. Most of the advice you receive is about the material items that make being a new parent a little bit easier, and the tips and tricks they've all learned from parenthood. Why is it, though, that nobody ever tells you the things you would really like to know?
When you are a parent you worry about your children. You worry about their future. It would have been nice to know that your mind would wander so far into the possibilities of your children's future. It would have been nice to know that your heart would ache thinking about all of the things you knew would hurt your children at some point, bullies, heartbreaks, and even scraped knees.
This is where you, my daughter's future mother-in-law, comes in. I look at the world today and I see a society that looks at women as objects. I see the rapid decline of respect for women, and the rapid rise in the amount of men that disrespect women. So, as a result of these things, I have decided to offer you a deal from one mother to another.
I promise you that I will raise my daughter to the best of my ability, that I will teach her all of the things that will make her a great wife to your son someday. I will instill in her a sense of loyalty, compassion, and love. I will raise a wife for your son that will have the self-esteem to rise above the pressures that society puts on women. I will teach her by example to make a home, to cook, to clean, and to raise children. I will give to your son, a relentless support, a force that stands behind him through all of his obstacles.
...IF....
You promise to me that you will be brave enough to raise your son to respect women, ALWAYS. Be strong enough to set an example for him of the type of woman he should let into his life. Give him the courage to stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Erase the images of "beauty" that our society wants him to believe and show him that a beautiful woman is a real woman. Raise him with a sense of humor to brighten my daughters days. Show him the importance of a handshake. Teach him to be a good father, to support his family, and to take responsibility where responsibility is his. Most of all, though, please raise him to be the kind of man that can look my husband in the eyes, and give him his word that he will love, protect, and cherish our baby girl as much as we do.
