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Vent

GoingWicked's picture

I’m mostly here to vent so I can think, I’m a mostly disengaged, because of SD’s cruel behavior towards me and DHs weak will.

 SD started attending a super crazy religious church because of a boy.  Now, it is in the 110s outside and she’s dressing in long sleeve shirts, yes shirts as in more than one, and long skirts for “modesty” and so that she looks like a woman, not a man.

 Yes this irritates the crap out of me.  Partially because of comfort/ weather, partially because women spent centuries trying to get out of skirts...  however I’m a little proud of her for commitment she’s really sticking with it.

I was going to take her camping/hiking/kayaking with my kids,  and it was agreed she would wear pants if she wanted to go.  She goes out and buys one $50 skirt for camping and now is trying to bamboozle her father into letting her go and just wear the one skirt.  She says she will wash her skirt every night, etc.

I don’t want to deal with the skirt

I don’t want to deal with the kayaking issue, what if she falls in the ocean?

I had absolutely no say whether or not she attended this crazy church, and I has to fight my DH to get him to see it wasn’t healthy.  (BTW There were plenty of other issues with this church, not just the dress code). 

I also don’t want her doing anything near the campfire in a skirt.

Im so ready to disengage from her craziness once again.

 

 

Comments

SteppedOut's picture

I read this and rolled my eyes at your SD. Like, you have so much crap to deal with already and now this? I think I would start watching documentaries about religious cults.

Also, as far as your trip. If she doesn't dress common sense for activities, make her sit them out. A long skirt kayaking and hiking is going to slow everyone down.

Harry's picture

does not have your back, and will Disney his DD.  Just tell her to go. To BM.  You are just not going to play her games.  Not going to let her screw up your fun weekend 

CompletelyPuzzled's picture

I am going to start by saying I dont think the skirt thing necessarily means SD is in a cult. Lots of religions preach modesty. I'd take the skirt for modesty issue over the opposite end of the spectrum.  But I just wanted to give you a little insight into the whole idea that she can't do certain activities in a skirt. My neighbor wears a skirt or dress everyday. She is a much older lady and is very conservative. She used to live on a farm and she'd work in the fields in a skirt. She'd milk cows, go hiking, and work on her tractors in a skirt.  She still gardens and changes her oil in a skirt now.

 

So I definitely think that wearing a skirt doesnt necessarily mean that your SD wont be able to do certain activities. And I am not sure that it is a good idea to force her to abandon a belief that she seems to be adhering too. Is your DH going on the trip? Can you make it clear to him that it is his problem if the skirt causes issues? Or if he is not going, compromise with her and let her wear the skirt but bring back up pants. She has to change if she can't keep up.

 

I only suggest this because I think you should allow SD to explore her beliefs, even if you don't agree with them.  At the end of the day, this is probably a phase and its not a dangerous one so I dont see the point in fighting her on it. I think this is part of her trying to find her own way. And if she is just doing it to impress a boy, she will eventually get tired of it. I guess it just depends on if you really want this to turn into a battle. 

beebeel's picture

I'm guessing your neighbor grew up wearing long skirts so she adapted to the issues such garb presents as a toddler. She didn't just don the skirt three months ago in a bid for a boy. 

I would be more concerned that this girl thinks she needs to develop a whole new appearance/personality/religion to attract a certain boy. I know girls/women like that. Don't you? Gross. 

And I wouldn't go camping, hiking, or boating with a young teen who just recently started wearing the Little House on the Prairie wardrobe. She will over heat and trip a million times, complaining the whole trip. Although, maybe this is what she needs to appreciate shorts again...

SteppedOut's picture

What I was going to say!

GoingWicked's picture

This is my debate, I also have friends that go to nutty churches, but the sticker is, I’m not her mom, dad isn’t going.   I don’t want to be held accountable for anything bad happening to her because she isn’t dressed appropriately.  I’m the evil SM they’ll blame me before they look to her.

Areyou's picture

Benign behaviors such as these are annoying when the child has been disrespectful. SD’s behaviors annoy me too.

twoviewpoints's picture

So let her father worry about his kid. As long as he is going and going to be present the entire time, I'd not give SD's comfort nor clothing disability worry me one bit. You know SD is going to 'win' this battle over you with her father.... remember they are BFF and he has always given her adult status decision making power.

What else isn't new? 

She's fourteen? Well of course, she knows what's best for her (*snark*)

Hey, at least she won't get a body full of insect bites ( they can't find her skin), nor sunburn. Bright side. 

Go have fun with your kids. If she and her father end up miserable or in the ER, Daddy has no one to blame but himself. Don't let SD ruin your weekend with your kids. Take two vehicles if you think it may be necessary. 

If you think you can't handle all the planned activities by yourself without DH possibly not being there to join in and help (because he's tending to his mini adult), think about switching plans for you and your kids and still go, do, have a wonderful weekend. 

SD's choices shouldn't impact you nor your children in going about your busy fun weekend. Don't let it. 

Maxwell09's picture

This is when the "not your kid" mantra applies. Let the girl be overly hot and uncomfortable during camping, embrace the fact that her only way out of those "modest skirts" and back to her 21st century style will only be once she is inconvienced by it. 

notarelative's picture

As long as her father is going and will deal with her, I'd let it be her and his problem. My only comment to them would be that the plan to wash the skirt every night is not practical. (Same comment I'd give if she were planning to wash pants every night.)  She can wear her skirt, but needs to bring another along. 

 

elkclan's picture

in skirt (dress) and leggings - mostly. I would even camp in them. But that's me. Not for religious reasons - or modesty reasons - let's face it skirts aren't that modest. It's just what I like to wear. Women tamed the West in skirts. It's not a big deal. Don't die on that hill. The only thing I don't wear a dress for is coaching rugby or going to gym or swim. TBH, I wouldn't canoe or kayak in a skirt though. 

However, you have every right to be concerned about cult-y churches. 

Fabrics are pretty fire resistant. And she doesn't need to wash the skirt out every single day. Just let her be dirty. What do you care? 

 

Pear's picture

I wouldn’t take her camping.  While plenty of religions preach modesty, that doesn’t make it right.  In most, modesty only applies to women.  It is offensive and dangerous. I wouldn’t take her camping in a skirt, but I also wouldn’t take her camping because you should minimize the amount of time she spends with your children.  They need you actively counter messaging anything they might be picking up from SD. 

GoingWicked's picture

Dad isn’t going.  I did tell him if she goes camping with us, he sits out with her.  I also told him she’s his kid, he tells her what the dress code is for my camping trip or she stays ay BMs.  I’m not playing good guy bad guy.  It’s really not the skirt issue, I think it’s silly, but I don’t feel comfortable leave her alone in the wilderness to sit out kayaking or going tidepooling.  I also don’t think I should have to go out of my way to sit and wait for her to do laundry, especially since I have 2 other kids to entertain.

and lucky me, I don’t have to deal with her, she decided to stay at BMs.

marblefawn's picture

The church thing will likely fall by the wayside when the boy falls by the wayside. Hopefully, she won't be hooked before then.

I've done time in a burqa on trips to a country where it is mandatory. To be honest, it had some real perks, although staying cool was not one of them, especially because they taper the sleeves to the wrists so my amazingly sexy exposed forearms wouldn't drive the men wild if I lifted them high. On the other hand, no matter how much you eat, there's no need to loosen your belt!