Modesty.

A while back my sweet friend Heidi posted about this book. She has 2 young daughters and has made modesty an important part of their life. We need more mom's like her.  I couldn't help but order the book. Modesty is a subject that I don't think is taken to heart enough. It seems like the mind set is, Well, when my girls go to the temple then they have the rest of their life to dress modestly. Well, I think that's the wrong approach. Why? And what gives me the authority to mention it? Well, I have no authority, But I do have experience. As a teenager I was the DEVIL. Seriously. I was the girl that hid shorts that were too short or shirts without sleeves in my purse and changed when I left the house. Bless my parents hearts they did everything they could to teach me correct principles and when I was too thick headed to listen they tried everything else. I remember my dad cutting up my FAVORITE white V neck shirt because it was too low cut. Thanks Dad for being a courageous parent and doing what was right, not trying to be my best friend. But when I got married and went to the temple it was a shock for me. I seriously had to buy a new wardrobe. I had nothing appropriate, and it made me resent the standards of the gospel a little bit. Instead of being able to focus on the blessings, I was focused on how many of my cute clothes I couldn't wear anymore. If I allowed this to happen to my daughter because I wanted to have her acceptance, or be her friend, or vicariously wear cute things I can't anymore through her, I would be doing her a disservice and not doing what heavenly father expected of me when he entrusted me to be a parent. Why are we afraid to hurt our children's feelings? They will still love us.  Yesterday we got a special little package in the mail for Lala. Mike and I noticed that on some of her shirts the arm holes were cut a little too big, and thought that they needed a little undershirt. So we ordered these cute little down east undershirts in a few colors.

Our standards are probably a bit more strict than what others would consider necessary for a 3 year old, {Shirts with sleeves, not too tight, skirts and shorts and dresses to the knees, one piece swim suits.} But she will never know the difference. I can't keep her from choosing to dress the way she wants, when she is older, But I can let her know what I expect and what the Lord expects. And help her gain a testimony that her body is a temple. One of the greatest blessings she has been given. And help her to know and understand WHY she dresses modestly, and help her gain a desire to. To teach her to be confident in who she is, So that she doesn't think she needs to show off her body to get attention. To teach her that the boys she would attract dressing that way, aren't the boys that will treat her with respect, And aren't the boys that she would want to date. I can teach her by my example.
I told Mike I don't care how much it costs to get her cute modest clothes, I still want her to be confident and LOVE clothing and fashion, I DO, and I make it work. You don't have to be frumpy and gross to dress modestly.