This post is so appropriate because this just happened to me last week.

Last week, my brother and his wife went on their annual trip to Las Vegas. That meant my nieces (ages 16, 12, and 9) were staying with my mom and me. LeslieAnne, the 12 year old, decides to take advantage of her parents being away and dress like a tramp.

She asked me if I didn't mind dropping her off at the mall. I said fine. Later that afternoon, she walked down the stairs DRESSED IN A HALTER TOP THAT SHOWED OFF HER MIDSECTION AND A MINI-SKIRT. The little tramp then had the nerve to ask me if she could borrow my "CFM" boots. For those who don't know what CFM stands for, PM me.

My eyeballs must've popped out of my sockets at least three times before I could say anything. AND THE GIRL WAS DRESSED THIS WAY TO GO TO THE MALL! I told her that there was NWIH I was taking her to the mall dressed that way. If she wanted a ride, she was going to have to change her clothes. If she didn't, she was catching the bus. I also told her to take off the 5 gallons of makeup on her face because she looked like she was about to work a corner.

She then tried to gain sympathy from my mom using her little pathetic whiny voice: "But Grandmaaaaa...Auntie Sandy gets to go out looking like this!" I lost my cool:

"I'M TWENTY-F*#$*^ing-TWO YEARS OLD...YOU'RE ONLY TWELVE, DAMMIT!"

After repeated threats of how I was going to call her parents, she finally gave in but I still had to check her backpack to make sure she wasn't going to be bringing those clothes along to change in the mall bathroom later.

My mom and I were talking about this yesterday, and a lot of things make sense now. I remember my mom worrying about me when I'd go out at night especially right after I got my driver's license. I see myself worrying about my nieces now because I honestly believe that they're growing up in a tough world where fitting in seems to be the most important. Innocent girls are kidnapped right out of the comforts of their own homes... and I cannot fathom what I would do if anything like that would happen to my nieces.

I just wish they weren't growing up so fast.