Photo by fotolia – Markomarcello
I love skinny jeans, trendy tops, and well-fitting clothes. Except when they are on my 12-year-old daughter. I learned that this weekend when we were shopping for summer clothes. She made cute choices, and bounded into the fitting room to try them on. When she bounded out, my face dropped, and I actually said, “I think that’s too tight, short, small, revealing [insert your favorite immodest adjective here].”
Welcome to the tween years, Jordana. You have arrived.
Here she was: my 12-year-old child in a womans’ body. Crap. It’s not like I haven’t seen her naked a million times—I buy her bras for goodness sake—but this felt different. As she stood outside the dressing room, I moved the fabric around on her body as if to magically make the crop top longer, or the midriff looser, but even mom-magic can’t stop puberty.
We happened to be shopping with my Torah teacher, who is a religious Rebbetzin (married to a Rabbi). My teacher is very modest, she wears long skirts below her knees, sleeves past her elbows, and very high crew neck tops. She is also a sixth grade teacher who understands 12-year-old girls. When she saw my disdain for the trendy styles of today, she told me to chill. She was right.
I remember coveting Sassoon and Jordache jeans, members only jackets, and Champion sweatshirts. The styles were looser in the ’80s but I’m sure my mom still hated them. My experience outside my daughter’s dressing room was karma that was waiting for me for 30 years.
When I stepped back and looked at my daughter, she looked lovely…just a little too lovely for my taste. I took a breath, told her she looked great, and took out my credit card.
To her credit, all of the clothes she chose were on sale (at least some of my values are sinking in!). The other bonus is that she’s almost my shoe size. Now, that’s a win-win!
This week I wish you fabulous clothes, an understanding family, and a teacher who offers lessons in Bible and in life!
Jordana Green’s daughters. Photo supplied.
