Dear Cool,

Seriously, we are so over you. You burrow yourself into the minds of many from a very young age and cause a variety of emotions. Sometimes feelings of greatness and accomplishment, but most times discouragement and despair. 

You can set the precedence for what's socially acceptable and what's not. You can create confidence and self-consciousness at the exact same time. You rob dreamers of dreams and getting lost in a world of imagination all because of your ridiculous standards. You become a fixation; taking away the little things that make life fun. You create unnecessary expectations that never need to exist for a child.

Really? Who are you anyway? I know you got to me as a kid and throughout my teenage and early adult years and I think I'm lucky that I made it out alive considering those days weren't very long ago. I see you messing around with my kids, causing doubt and fear and I've had just about enough. 

I know it's not going to be easy but I know I've had enough of being in your clutches. I'm going to be ME and my kids are going to be THEM and well if that's just not cool enough for ya, get over yourself.

I WILL NOT allow you to take away my kids ability to have fun and enjoy things that they love to do regardless of what age they are. I WILL NOT let you influence them to do things they aren't comfortable doing and I DEFINITELY WILL NOT let them feel like they need to change who they are in order to be accepted by YOU.

Signed, 

WE ARE SO OVER COOL FAMILY!!