Parenting Question (Sports, Small Kids)

MmeZeeZee
Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:14:28 +0000

“Having spent time in Saudi Arabia this past year, depending on how strict / inflexible your H is, or how amenable or closed he is to compromise, the limitations brought on by the modesty issue may be even more constricting than any lack of money you might have experienced growing up.”

He’s not Saudi Arabian. Like I said, bermudas and cap sleeves would be fine with him. He doesn’t like competition in leotards or swimsuits. I think that is less conservative than many American Christian evangelicals and traditionalists… “modest” does not mean “clad in a billowing tchadri”.

“My concern is that reading in between the lines, I “hear” either resentment of that dress code, or a desire to placate the H (understandably, to be sure) rather than have it out with him.”

I don’t really want to make it about our disagreements. The point is, no matter what I think, he and D will have to come to their own agreement. I am ready for a fight, myself, BUT–I do not want to unwittingly set her up for one, when she could avoid it.

I do not think it’s an unreasonable dress code, as my mom (agnostic, spiritualist) insisted on skirts and shorts to the knees because she felt that shorties were exploitative. No cleavage. I think it’s reasonable. However in the case of sports, I know he would need serious convincing. And again, I kind of feel it’s avoidable.

“You don’t have to map out her whole life.”

I haven’t exactly done that! I’m just wondering which sports have good potential for practice, without wearing leotards that show the inner thigh, because I felt that introducing them earlier would give her more of a chance at doing them later, rather than gymnastics.

I hardly think that’s mapping her entire life!

But again… for those who haven’t read… Since I stuck with one sport for years, I wasn’t aware that many children changed often. That’s encouragement enough for me. Thanks.