Monday, December 14, 2009

Can I just say

it really, really, really ticks me off when people behave as though their children are accessories. I believe in having your children well-groomed and decently dressed (I think its one of the ways you show that you care about them and are paying attention), but kids are not Fendi bags or Jimmy Choos. They're human beings, for Pete's sake! Pay a little more attention to what you're teaching them, or they may end up treating people like objects when they're all grown up, too.

And, on that train of thought, I absolutely and unequivocally abhor when anyone (I don't give a rat's patoot if you're straight, gay, transgender, black, white, red, yellow, green, male or female) attempts to sexualize children. Innocence is a precious gift and with nearly every person who comes into this world, it has a severe time limit. Let it last while it can. There's no shame or prudishness in wanting kids to be kids. So, no, its not OK for you to teach my five year old about your sexuality (whatever it may be) and I'm not going to put up with your snooty nose in the air because I dress her like the little girl that she is and not like a miniature 16-year-old.

Don't screech to me about your need for "liberation", to be free of the shackles of an "oppressive" (polite and moral?) society and then wail and moan about the loss of safety and security. You made a Faustian bargain--you destroyed that society for the sake of your "freedom". My children must grow up in that world, but I will not help you destroy their innocence and naivete any quicker than is absolutely necessary. So maybe you think I'm a bad parent because I won't fight for my child's right to be properly "educated", but I will fight tooth and nail to give my children the right to be children for that short period of life when they can.

1 comment:

Callie said...

Amen! I have to admit, I am a little relieved to be having another boy...at least I won't have to fight with him about wearing more clothing. I may have to fight with him about not wearing the dirty stinky shirt from the floor, but I won't have to battle him about making sure he's completely covered up! Stand your ground. Let your little girl be a little girl as long as she can. Protect that innocence...there is nothing wrong with that! It makes you a good mommy!