We recently spent a vacation with family on a very warm, gorgeous beach. It was a great trip. I love time with family, fun in the sun, and laughing over old memories and new memories that are being created. But there was one issue that was constantly bothering me… How do I start NOW to keep my little boy’s mind pure? He’s only two. So at what point do things matter…like bikinis. In our household, my husband and little boy both wear board shorts AND a rash guard while swimming in a pool or playing at the ocean. The rash guard is great for protecting against sun burn, but it is also important to us as we think that boys should practice modesty, as well. As for me…well, most people think I’m extreme. I wear long board shorts (almost to my knee) and a rash guard. A family member complimented me on my cute outfit and asked where we were going out to eat for lunch. It was a bit awkward to explain that this was actually my swim outfit…the only swim outfit I own.
Now I’m not saying everyone needs to go to our level of what we feel is modest. I know there are different levels and I’m not claiming mine is perfect. But I do know that I can’t handle bikinis. I mean, really….most of the bikinis on the beach cover less than most ladies’ underwear! It bares ALL to people who are not the ladies’ husbands…and the husbands are really the only ones who should see that!
So how do I protect my little boy from being comfortable with something that I know is immodest and wrong? In the end, my husband and I decided we cannot protect him from it. We’d love to… I wish I could take him to a beach where everyone was dressed to some level of modesty. But those don’t really exist. Instead, we decided to set a rule. There were severalphotoshoots done for girls in our party in bikinis. And we decided he was not allowed to be in those poses. Yes, I know he is in some pictures of just some normal activities…like wading in the beach, or digging holes in the sand. But the posed pictures were a definite no. Even at age 2, we don’t want him to think it is okay for him to be in pictures with mostly-revealed ladies/girls who stand with their hands on their hips and their legs tilted in a rather sexually-provocative manner. It might sound extreme. But in the end…I think it will be worth it to start young. I want my boys’ minds to be pure. And sometimes that does mean other people don’t like what we decide. We try not to make it a huge issue and conflict. As I said, we don’t dictate what is worn around us. But we do ask that our children not be involved in any two-piece revealing pictures that are posed. Because what could possibly be more important than protecting our children’s minds? Modesty is a heart issue…and we want our children to value that starting at a very early age.
Sarah is a wife to a Coast Guard officer, and a mother to an energetic 2-year-old little boy. She strives to serve her Lord and King and be a good wife and mother. She loves photography, reading, cooking, exploring, and hiking and has a passion for purity as well as learning about healthy living and eating. Most often you will find her thoroughly enjoying time with her husband and son or making messes in the kitchen.
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