Disclaimer: This is not an article body shaming any girl who wears bikini's because I have worn them, yet it is simply the reality I have faced and many others I know.
I don't know about every girl but I have found that one of the most dreaded seasons is swimsuit season. A thousand swimsuits later and I have still yet to find one that: covers everything, doesn't make me look slutty, and is "daddy approved". Not saying that there aren't modest bikini's it all just depends on your own comfort and confidence level. Not only that but sometimes I find shopping for a suit extremely frustrating. Instead of looking in the mirror to see if the swimsuit fits, I stand there a critique every little thing that is "wrong" with my body. This world has made the standards of women (and men) so unattainable that it begins to wear on my mind. The trend use to be, if you are super skinny you're up to standards. Now it's the more muscles you have the better. These are polar opposite, being fit is better than being anorexic BUT, some girls (like myself) don't have the will power or desire to get a 6 pack with huge biceps and quads the size of a greek god. There will always be something better when you achieve you're goal whether it's to get a six pack or lose 10Ibs you will never be satisfied, so in the moment be happy with who you are.
This summer I picked up a nannying job, which meant lots of pool days. As the dreaded thought of having to find a swim suit came, I decided to look at it a different way. My job as a nanny is to: take care of kids, make sure they're safe, and be a role model to them. I am a nanny to a nine year old girl and four year old boy. With all of that being said, I decided that I wanted to wear a one piece. It might seem a little odd, but here is my reasoning behind it. I want the little girl to see that she doesn't have to wear a bikini to feel beautiful. She doesn't have to wear one to be vulnerable, and get attention from boys. Yet being covered up might bring a different result. I want her to see that by being modest you can still get attention, but it's because you're keeping your body a mystery and demanding respect. I want the little boy to start learning how it looks for a girl to respect herself. Even with him being so young I still want to protect his mind and eyes.
I not only want to set an example for the kids I nanny but for young girls in general. Showing skin isn't what makes you beautiful...having dignity and taking pride in yourself is what make you beautiful. It's about time young women start to look timeless and classy, not gross and trashy.
