When I read the book Forever Young - the 'Teen-aging' of Modern Culture by Marcel Danesi, he was analyzing and illustrating the ways in which the older generation is trying to remain 'youthful' and keep age at bay by aping the young in music, clothing and culture.
Whatever it was that was pushing adults to look and act young, whether it is a fear of aging or that our society seems to worship the young; those trying to dress and act their children's age or to act as a friend or peer rather than a parent were making themselves seem peculiar and sometimes even ridiculous.
If for some reason you find yourself competing with young Women for attention, you would be wise to recognize you are probably making yourself look insecure. You are likely also forgetting all you have to offer in experience and knowledge and sophistication.
Even worse, when you begin pretending, to yourself or others, that your child is younger than they actually are, perhaps in some strange hope you might turn back the clock, you might consider that a second childhood isn't any prettier in women than it is in men. You all know what I mean by that.
I suspect that some of Parents want the 'Child' to stay a Child. This is possibly in the hope of making the Parent feel more youthful and 'with it'.
Trying to be friendly and interested in younger people is one thing, provided you realize that you cannot be their contemporary. If you think for a moment, why would you want to anyway?
A Parent, who is trying to be like their kids, is also probably not providing them with the direction and encouragement towards self sufficiency the Children will need to survive independently. The child developing toward adulthood needs mature and confident role models to emulate, not some insecure mother who wishes she was 20 again. At worst, you will lose their respect and earn only their disdain.
It is actually quite lovely to have people realize that your daughter gets her 'good looks' from her resemblance to you, rather than the bogus flattery of saying you look like sisters. All but the vainest woman would know that is untrue.
If you are a confident, mature Mother, you would not want your accomplishments to appear comparable to your developing child.
If nothing else, your clothes shouldn't look like those a teenage girl's any more than hers should look like yours. There are enough choices out there for everyone to look pretty terrific and attractive and still dress suitably reflect your age and accomplishments.
A rethinking of what forms of youthfulness are desirable and appropriate to a fully Mature, confident and accomplished Woman, will soon remind you of how much you have achieved and how you have earned the right to accept and love yourself.
You long ago left behind any need to be validated by anyone but yourself and those who proudly recognize your achievements and celebrate the beautiful mature Woman you developed into along the way to where you are now.
SEE ALSO - FOREVER YOUNG - DENYING YOURSELF HAPPINESS (2011& 2013)
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