Teach Them While They're Young

We all have different values, different morals, different things we want our kids to do or believe.  This post isn't about what is right or wrong, but about teaching our kids to follow what we know to be right.

I am not claiming myself as an expert, in fact I have written about the fact that with parenting the only consistent thing is that once you get it figured out something will change.  

You first have to figure out what you believe, what you want for your kids, what you believe is important.  Then start young.

Want your kids to be polite and have good manners?   Start young.  Want your kids to watch and read good and appropriate media?  Start young.  Want your kids to dress modestly?  Start young.

A part of my faith and religion is dressing modestly, not to help boys have pure thoughts or not be a temptation, or anything like that, but as a respect for our God given bodies and as an outward symbol of our respect and love of God.  

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, my standard of modesty is at a greater level than the general public; knee length skirts or shorts, no low necklines or even sleeveless clothes.  Now do I think someone is immodest if they don't dress this way, especially if they are not of my faith, heck no! 

I am not writing this post to call anyone out on immodesty as if you believe differently than I do, then what your hold yourself to as modest is different than what I hold myself to. 

I want my children to share my faith and beliefs as it has brought the most happiness, the most stability, and the best moral compass in a world that can leave you tumbling around in a realm or moral relativism.  

So I begin when my kids are young.  If I find a cute dress for Alex that is too short, I don't buy it.  Shorts that barely cover the butt or just aren't long enough, I don't buy them.  A sleeveless dress that is actually long enough, I buy it but I also buy a cute sweater or shirt to go underneath it.  Yes, it limits our options, yes it is hard to find clothes at times, but it is what is important, so I do it.

I teach them when they are young.  I help my children understand why the things I believe are important to me and why I hope and pray that they will be important to them also.  

This last Sunday I tossed Alex's dress down the stairs for her and told her to get dressed, while I went and found clothes for the boys.

She got dressed, but called to me from the bathroom, barely opening the door.  "Yes?" I asked as I approached the door.

"Something is wrong with this dress." Alex said pointing to the sleeves, or lack thereof.
"Did you get the shirt I tossed down too?" I asked.
"Oh no, I missed that." she said relieved.  I retrieved the shirt from the stairs and gave it to Alex and she finished getting dressed.

I stopped and enjoyed that moment.  Pride in that fact that she is learning, pride that dressing in a way different than what I am teaching her makes her uncomfortable and that she realizes something 'is wrong'.

Our children can do great and amazing things, we just need to expect it of them.  We need to not give in and say, oh well everyone else is doing it, it really doesn't matter, or even, well they are young so it is okay now, they can get away with it.  If it matters to you, then stick to what you know.  Lead by example, teach, instruct, praise and even correct when it is needed.  It all begins at home.  It all begins with us actually stepping up and doing our jobs as parents.  It begins when they are young.

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