Where Do I Start?

It was 1950.  My four-year-old mother sat on the floor while her mother lay on the bed, resting and helping a younger child relax for his nap.  Mom flipped through a magazine, stopping at a photo of a woman in a fluffy formal gown.

"It would be prettier if it had some sleeves," came the voice from the bed.  Mom had not realized her mother was awake.  She stared at the picture for a long time, considering what she had just heard.  And the seeds of modesty and propriety began to take root.

When do we need modesty and when is it appropriate to start teaching modesty to our children?  Mom says we start as soon as a child is born and dressed for the first time, and that it should never stop.  It is never too early to start teaching -- and never too late for a person to learn about his or her potential and power.


Photo from sxc.hu.  Used courtesy of wonders777.