Amanda Lamb: Extensions

"Why do people add stuff to their body?" my older daughter asks me one day.

"What do you mean?" I reply absentmindedly as I'm scrolling through my email on my BlackBerry.

"You know hair extensions, and extensions here?" She points to her chest. This gets my attention. I put the BlackBerry down.

Then she goes one step further. She coins a new phrase, "boob extensions." I have to admit, I thought it was kind of a clever way of putting it. But I didn't have a clever answer to give her. If I reply negatively, I am denigrating people who make this choice. But, if I advocate it, I go against my own personal belief of being happy with what God gave you. I decided to take the middle-of-the-road approach.

"Honey, it's just like wearing makeup, or putting on jewelry, or a pretty dress. If it makes someone feel good about herself, than that's what matters. But you're perfect just the way you are, inside and out. You don't need to do anything to improve your appearance in any way," I say honestly as I look into her deep brown eyes framed by her beautiful young face.

"OK," she says with a smile and a nod of understanding. "So, tell me. Who do we know who has boob extensions?"

There's no entry in the parent handbook for this one, folks.