The Skort Story: How God Meets Us in Our Preteen Moments

I grew up in a decade where there was this one piece of clothing called… well…

a pair of shorts that was also a skirt… and dundadunnn… you have… a skort!

If you grew up in my decade, you’re already laughing because you know exactly what I mean.

If you're younger, “search it up,” as my kids would say.

I grew up sandwiched between two brothers.
As the only girl sibling, I lived in this funny in-between space: singing, dress-up, doll play, bows, and SHOES!!! on one side… and then strapping on my roller skates to play hockey with the boys on the other.

I’d come in sweaty, shins bruised from playing goalie, but I loved every minute of it.

Hence… skorts were the perfect compromise.

I could flare my girly side and still be ready to yell, “Yes, pick me!” for whatever sport the

neighborhood kids wanted to play that day.

But somewhere in those preteen years, something shifted.

Suddenly, my eyes opened to others.

And with that came a familiar foe:

The comparison game.

James 4:1–2 says, “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme to get it.”

Who even decides these things?

Who says shorts are better than skorts?

Or straight hair is better than curly?

Or that roller hockey was “last year” and lacrosse is the “new thing”?

Who decided pickleball is better than tennis?

Or that red M&Ms taste better than brown ones?

I was a preteen looking around and wondering two things:

“What do I see that is true around me?”

“And what does everyone else think when they see me?”

I remember walking into 5th grade Sunday school one morning and realizing — apparently in

one week — we were no longer wearing dresses.
Nope.
The new thing ...was velvet pants.
Velvet.
Pants.

And my preteen brain heard:

“Says everybody. Or else…”

What a threat from the world.

Truth be told, we are threatened by what the world says every single day.

I coach myself constantly:

“Hannah, you don’t need that.”

“Hannah, it’s okay they have that and you have this.”

“You are blessed, provided for, and rich in spirit with the Lord.”

But that comparison voice doesn't forever disappear.

And it doesn’t make it easy to live under the constant noise of world speech all around us.

If you move down just a few more verses in James — after several more warnings (seriously, this

whole book is so good) — verse 6 helps me breathe again:

“And He gives grace generously…”

Can you take a deep breath with me?

In… and out…

Thank the Lord we have choices in life.

What a boring world it would be without variety.

Thank the Lord we are all created uniquely — with different gifts, skills, personalities,

preferences, and styles.

I truly believe this is the beauty of God’s people woven together into His story tapestry.

But when we fall into comparison…

when we try to keep up…

when we forget who God made us to be…

I have to remind myself: God gives me grace. Generously.

Preteens in the 90s (okay, now I’ve really aged myself) and preteens today may not struggle with

skorts or velvet pants…

but they have their own versions of comparison and identity battles.
They’re trying to understand the world around them.

They’re watching what others do, say, wear, like, and value.

And they’re asking the same questions we once did:

“What do I see that is true around me?”

“And what does everyone else think when they see me?”

These are real, honest questions — but left unanswered, the world fills those blanks with lies,

pressure, anxiety, and confusion.

This is where we, as parents and ministry leaders, gently shift the questions toward truth.

We help our preteens learn to ask instead:

“Where do I turn to know what is true?”

“And what do others see in me?”

(The Christ-like character He is teaching me to be.)

Because what’s around them will constantly change.

What others see of them will never stay the same.

But what Christ says is true — and what He is forming in them — remains steady.

So start these conversations with your preteen.

Use your own stories — the funny ones, the awkward ones, the deeply human ones — to weave

Gospel truth into their everyday lives.

Show them pictures.

Have some laughs.

Get a little awkward.

Open your Bible.

Guide them to what is true and unchanging.

You are shaping their worldview today for who they will become tomorrow.