A battle I choose to fight...

As a parent, there are so many MANY battles to fight. Daily battles of teaching your children to put their shoes away, get their homework done, clean up the table after dinner, go to bed, use their manners, etc, etc. The battles with Hailey are way less intense, yet still constant. No, you cannot walk around the store while I am grocery shopping, yes, you will take a nap, no, you cannot touch that or put this in your mouth, etc, etc. Fortunately, she cannot talk back yet. She may cry or throw a fit (like she did in Old Navy yesterday because she was SO OVER shopping) but at least the battles are short-lived. After fighting battles day after day and year after year, I have learned that there are some battles that are just not worth the fight. You want to wear WHAT to the grocery store? Fine. You aren't going to let me put that cute flower in your hair without pulling it out? Fine, no flower. You get that point, right?

On the other hand, there are some battles that I will fight to the death about. I will fight forever over the battle of school, learning, and reading. I will fight forever over the battle of reverence in church, regularly holding Family Home Evening, scripture study, and family prayer (the promises for those that do are too great to miss out on). I will also forever fight the battle of doing housework. If I don't teach my children how to work, then I will have failed them. There is also one other battle that I will fight to the death....the battle of modesty.

I choose to fight this battle for many reasons. I believe that dressing modestly will make a HUGE difference in their life because modest dress leads to modest behavior which in turn leads to a life of virtue. There is nothing more beautiful and admirable than a young women or older women who dresses modestly. There is a silent distinguishable confidence that radiates from within. This is something I want for my children. I wish that as a youth I had been more modest (not that my mom didn't fight this battle, because she definitely did) But, I know that I should have been better. I know that I can still be better and so can my girls. I think it is one of those things that you teach over and over and then you just pray that when they get to the age where they have to make their own choices, that the desire to be modest will be in their hearts. Sometimes I swear they grow over night and all of the sudden their favorite skirt that was nearly knee length has all the sudden become way too short.

As I was looking on Facebook yesterday, I was so disappointed to see some wonderful young women from my ward and wards past who chose to wear immodest dresses to prom. I used it as a teaching opportunity with my own girls. After I explained to them what prom was and why it is so important to be modest even if it is just one night, I then said, "Katelund and Cloey, I hope that when it is your turn to go to prom, that you will choose to wear a modest dress." Cloey then looks at me, totally stunned, and said, "You HOPE?? Of course we will dress modestly for prom, Mommy! Why wouldn't we?" No wonder we are to be as little children. When Cloey is 16, you better believe I will be reminding her of that exact conversation.

I know that this battle is easier to fight now and it will only get more intense (I SO remember those battle with my mom!) But, if I don't start fighting them now, in a couple of years it may be too late to begin the fight, especially in the world in which we live today.

FYI...if you haven't already seen it, you HAVE to watch the "195 dresses" Mormon Message on the lds.org website.

What about you? What battles do you choose to fight to the death?