Scandalous

Where has all the modesty gone in this world??

Just to make sure I got the word right, I looked it up in the dictionary. Modest is the showing regard for the decencies of behavior, speech, dress. So, I guess to sum it up it means that you are moderate in everything you do. Not covered from head to toe, but not in a string bikini either.

Have I now become a prude in the short time of motherhood? I also looked "prude" up in the dictionary. Prude is the excessiveness of being appropriate in dress and speech. Am I there yet? No. I wear jeans to church, sandals to any function, and if it doesn't fold and say "100% cotton" on the tag, I usually don't own it.

Why the sudden "modesty kick"? Shorts season! I've been searching for shorts that are not to my knee or mid-calf, but not showing my whole butt either. I went to Target the other day still seeking the perfect pair. Then, one pair caught my eye...not for being cute, but for being way over the top. They were low waist, cut off, with an inseam that was non-existent. Then, there were zippers on both sides of the jeans. Zippers for what? I guess breathing room? I don't know. (if you own these pair that I have described, no offense, but they would never have looked good on me in a million years). Who might buy these? Then, like a bolt of lightning: Mallory might want to buy these in 10 years.

I can already imagine it: Mallory is 11 or 12 years old, wanting clothes that don't cover enough and I deem inappropriate. The fighting ensues...do I eventually give in and just get it for her? Well, to be honest, I have another 10 years to decide that. I just keep thinking that over the years clothes have shrunk in an alarming rate to where they are almost non-existent. What styles will be popular when she hits middle school?

I remember when spaghetti straps were against school policy when I was in middle school. Then, when I worked at a middle school for a little bit, the girls were so grown up with their clothes, and spaghetti straps were the least of the dress code offenses.

Greg pointed out that Mallory is always dressed from head to toe, which was totally different from Nolan. When Nolan was born it was right at the beginning of summer and was super hot. Nolan would lay around in onesies or just in a diaper. Mallory is dressed in pants, a shirt, socks, shoes and her hair is in a clip or ponytails. Is it because she is a girl? Maybe, I really don't know.

All I know is that I'm already worrying about the little things of what she will wear, how people will treat her, if she will be picked on. But it's what I do now with her that will form those later years. Hopefully Greg and I will do a good job so we don't have to worry about all those little things down the road.

PS. The picture I added doesn't really have anything to do with modesty or prudeness, I just thought it was a cute one of Mallory and I :)