Anonymous wrote:Sigh. The question is, do you walk on eggshells all the time, or do you trust your own family to know you love them and just come out with the truth?
I tell my kids the truth. They sure tell me the truth!!! Whatever your home policies are, it should go both ways, otherwise it's not fair.
I don't find it "walking on eggshells" to avoid telling my teenage daughter she looks bad in something. There are times when my DD looks awkward or something she's wearing is not flattering. She's a teen, she goes through awkward phases, and she's trying out different looks and trends to decide what she likes. Saying nothing in these situations does not take effort from me BECAUSE I love her no matter what. So it doesn't matter what she looks like.
In the prom dress situation, if I thought another dress looked better on her, I would probably say that. "Oh I just love you in the blue one, it looks so great with your coloring and I feel like the length really suits you." But I wouldn't say "No green is just awful with your skin tone and you can't pull off that neckline." Just why? It's mean. Would you say that to a friend? I would not, even if it was the truth.