When do you put your little girl in long sleeves?

[Rivka Leah]

My twins just turned 3 and Tehila is my first girl. Do I put her in long sleeves now? I went shopping today and the response in the store (a Jewish one) was 'oh 3 yr olds here still wear short sleeves'. They didn't even carry long sleeve tops for them...

[Sam-]

Do you have a Rabbi who you follow?

[Rivka Leah]

We do have rabbonim to whom we ask shailas.

[Ron Balofsky]

It is really based on the child and your environment. 3 is the general age of Chinuch and girls are more sexually aware at a younger age. As noted earlier, the Rabbi that you follow would be the best route to take as the Rabbi will also take the community level. Some Rabbi's will also pasken according to your level of observance.

[Ron Balofsky]

Rivka,

You may be interested in a site called Frum Marrieds. It is a site for orthodox married women who talk about just about anything from minhagim, halachot, hashkafa and the like. Of course, I don't want to deter you from writing on this forum as we love the discussions but you may find some more supportive answers from an all women forum as oppose to here where it is majority male.

Ron

[Rivka Leah]

Thank you. I will be asking our local rav as well.

[Hadassah]

I am not certain what the official ruling is on this, but at my girls' school, which was Orthodox, and there were also several Chassidim as well, teh girls were covered from about age three. Being M.O., mine were covered as well, but only just past the elbows during summertime. Hope this helps.

[Hadassah]

But then again, we are weird, because there many things we did that they didn't and vice versa--I think so much of this truly is contextual, based upon general region. I have experienced in my travels many different customs which makes it difficult to readjust much of the time.

[Rivka Leah]

So I did ask a rav here and was told that if it's difficult for my daughter then I don't need to force the issue - as in with her friends and so on. to which I replied "what friends? she just turned 3 and her twin brother doesn't seem too bothered by it'. I told the rav that my plan was to allow her to wear short sleeves until it got too cold which will be pretty soon, and then perhaps in the spring we won't return to short sleeves. The rav told me that I shouldn't decide yet, but what until spring. The rav said that it's not really necessary until the age of 6 or 7, although the Chofetz Chaim recommended starting at the age of 3. Further the rav said that at this age it's a matter of chinuch and not of ervah.

[Hadassah]

I like his last distinction. Sounds like you got good advice!

[רײזל-לאה אסתר בת אברם-יצחק הישראלי]

Do you have the url for Frum Marrieds?

Ron Balofsky said:

... may be interested in a site called Frum Marrieds. It is a site for orthodox married women who talk about just about anything from minhagim, halachot, hashkafa and the like. ... supportive answers from an all women forum as oppose to here where it is majority male.

Ron

[Rivka Leah]

I think it's www.frummarrieds.com

[רײזל-לאה אסתר בת אברם-יצחק הישראלי]

Thank you. I just tried clicking on the link you posted. It didn't work. :( Maybe I'll ask someone near here where I am. I don't know who in particular to ask yet, I'm kind of new.
Is everyone sure this group hasn't gone out of existence or something? Is someone here a member?

Rivka Leah said:

I think it's www.frummarrieds.com