What ARE You Wearing?

Just a little disclaimer before I begin.  This post may make some of you mad.  If so, please know it was not my intent.  But, if it makes you stop and think, well, that is the goal.  We all need to reevaluate occasionally and I do believe that friends should challenge each other to do better.  That being said, I always welcome honest, lively discussion, but no ugly or ill-intended comments will be posted.  It is my blog after all and words of affirmation is my love language.  ;)  So here goes....

Have you seen what children and young adults are wearing these days?   I mean, seriously seen it?  OH. MY. WORD!  I know that I am slightly on the conservative end of the spectrum, but honestly, every time I go out I am appalled.
 Skirts up to here, shirts down to there.  What are they thinking?  I really want to ask them sometimes- did you look in the mirror before you left the house and think, yes, this looks OK?  It bothers me...A LOT!  Where is their pride, their self-respect, their class, their brains?

But here is the next thing I think- where is their mom and/or dad!  And did they take a look at their child as they walked out the door and say, yes, that looks OK?

Who wants their child to look like a street walker?
Who really thinks it is OK for their child to show all of her cleavage?
Who thinks it is OK to see their child's underwear?
What father wants men to stare at their teen girls, or worse- middle schooler,  and think words like provocative, hot, sexy or even cute?

Where are these kids' parents?
Who allowed them to buy these clothes?
Who paid for them?
Who drove them to that store?
Who let them out of the house like that?
Who did not step up as a parent and say, NO that is not OK???

Really, I want to know.  And believe me, I have heard the arguments already-

1.  That's all that is in the store.
      Sorry, not convinced.  Keep looking.  Maybe if we stopped buying trash they would stop  making trash!

2.  But she looks so cute.
     Maybe, maybe not.  But is that that what I want her 12 year old classmate to think when he sees her in class? Or the 17 year old that sees her at church?  Or the old man that sees her at the grocery store?

3.  But all his friend dress that way.  
     Get him some new friends, I say.  Or at least encourage him to be the trendsetter that raises the bar a little.

4.  But she's got such a cute figure.
     Go back and read number 2!  Encourage her to share her cute body with her future husband- not the world.

5.  That's the only thing that she/he will wear.  I just don't want an argument every morning.
     Me neither.  Say no, walk away.  You are the parent.

6.   We all can't dress "Amish".
      That's not at all what I am suggesting.  One of my daughters chooses to wear only skirts.  Another one doesn't.  Not the point.  I am just suggesting a little modesty- at the very least, good taste!

I am not advocating we all walk around in turtlenecks and long skirts, really I am not.  But I am challenging moms and dads out there to, as my children say, cowboy up and be in charge!  Help your children out by saying no. Yes, as with any discipline, sometimes it is hard but that is your job.  Don't fail your kids in this area.  I am sure there are people who are more modest than we are that think we have a long way to go.  This is not about judging others- it is about striving to do better.  Start young!  What you may think is cute on a three year old will look a lot different to you in a few short years.  Trust me on this one!

Let's teach our girls that when your skirts are a little shorter you have to be careful how you sit and that you cannot lean over at the waist without bearing it all.

Let's teach our boys that a belt is a useful object to keep your pants at your waist, not your knees.

Let's teach our kids if they want to be respected by others they first must respect themselves.

Let's teach them dignity, self-respect and pride.  And please, send them back to their rooms to put something else on!
     

Please excuse the lack of pictures...they are lacking for obvious reasons! ;)

Linking up with Amy at Raising Arrows!

Linking up today with Caroline at The Modest Mom!