Comments on: Playing Ladies http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/ A Mother\'s Heart, A Teacher\'s Mind, A Writer\'s Hand Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:53:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: nearlySuperMum http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1471 nearlySuperMum Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:27:49 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1471 I'm so glad I've got boys! I’m so glad I’ve got boys!

]]> By: Belinda Butler http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1470 Belinda Butler Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:27:25 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1470 Wow Cath, what a controversial topic! It's one I find myself a little torn over. On the one hand, I will not buy my daughter, who is 6, anything that is reomtely grown up or suggestive, bra tops are absolutely banned and make up is not to be worn out of the house. On the other hand, she has some very frilly, glamorous dress ups, started enjoying wearing necklaces and 'bling' at around 12 months and putting make up on herself (and anyone who will sit still long enough) is one of her favourite things to do. She loves it and I remember loving it as a child. I think the problem arises when children link their self worth and sense of self with how they present themselves and what they wear, and this goes for boys and girls. At the same time, it's perfectly normal for pre-school aged boys and girls to experiment, imagine and try to represent their gender through play. I just try to follow my instincts, but I think my days of saying "you're not going out looking like that" have only just begun! Wow Cath, what a controversial topic! It’s one I find myself a little torn over. On the one hand, I will not buy my daughter, who is 6, anything that is reomtely grown up or suggestive, bra tops are absolutely banned and make up is not to be worn out of the house. On the other hand, she has some very frilly, glamorous dress ups, started enjoying wearing necklaces and ‘bling’ at around 12 months and putting make up on herself (and anyone who will sit still long enough) is one of her favourite things to do. She loves it and I remember loving it as a child. I think the problem arises when children link their self worth and sense of self with how they present themselves and what they wear, and this goes for boys and girls. At the same time, it’s perfectly normal for pre-school aged boys and girls to experiment, imagine and try to represent their gender through play. I just try to follow my instincts, but I think my days of saying “you’re not going out looking like that” have only just begun!

]]> By: meaghan http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1469 meaghan Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:01:13 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1469 Hi, yes it may add to the grown up image but really to me its just a cup. Maybe it was a treat for her or something similar but a cup is a cup. Would it have caused a stir if it were a normal toddlers plastic cup? I dont think so. But because its a Starbucks cup everyone is talking about it. My 3 year old loves babycinos and when I grab my coffee, I get a babycino for her too. No big deal, dont stress the small stuff. The only time I have seen Suri Cruise step out in public and shuddered to myself was when she was wearing little peeptoe heels which I think you mentioned. That is overboard to me. But honestly, it was just a Starbucks cup.. If people are worried about that they need a life! Start worrying when its a Vodka bottle shes holding... Meaghan.:) Hi, yes it may add to the grown up image but really to me its just a cup.
Maybe it was a treat for her or something similar but a cup is a cup.
Would it have caused a stir if it were a normal toddlers plastic cup?
I dont think so.
But because its a Starbucks cup everyone is talking about it.
My 3 year old loves babycinos and when I grab my coffee, I get a babycino for her too.
No big deal, dont stress the small stuff.
The only time I have seen Suri Cruise step out in public and shuddered to myself was when she was wearing little peeptoe heels which I think you mentioned. That is overboard to me.
But honestly, it was just a Starbucks cup.. If people are worried about that they need a life!
Start worrying when its a Vodka bottle shes holding…
Meaghan.:)

]]> By: Joni http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1468 Joni Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:04:39 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1468 I totally agree Cath. Just yesterday by oldest daughter (5 years old) was playing dress ups with her friend. I was amazed (and a little stunned) by what she came out wearing though. She'd put on a pink leotard and her little sister's skirt which was basically a mini skirt on her long 5 year old legs, and heels. The ensemble was very colour coordinated but so grown up and sexy! I quietly told her that the clothes were a little bit too grown up and not very modest (a word we've been learning about lately) and maybe she could find something else to wear, which she was fine with. What I was sad about though, was that she was thinking that it was okay to dress that way... We don't let her watch grown up TV and I don't dress that way but somewhere she's got that message... scary hey! I totally agree Cath. Just yesterday by oldest daughter (5 years old) was playing dress ups with her friend. I was amazed (and a little stunned) by what she came out wearing though. She’d put on a pink leotard and her little sister’s skirt which was basically a mini skirt on her long 5 year old legs, and heels. The ensemble was very colour coordinated but so grown up and sexy! I quietly told her that the clothes were a little bit too grown up and not very modest (a word we’ve been learning about lately) and maybe she could find something else to wear, which she was fine with. What I was sad about though, was that she was thinking that it was okay to dress that way… We don’t let her watch grown up TV and I don’t dress that way but somewhere she’s got that message… scary hey!

]]> By: rachel http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1467 rachel Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:31:58 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1467 What I have been thinking about is that we really can't compare our daughters to Suri Cruise because no matter how many games of Go Fish she may play, she will never have the same kind of normal life that some of our girls have. She has her own version of normal. I think the thing that I take away from Suri Cruise is actually really positive. I don't give a rat's pattootie what she is wearing or the kind of cup she carries...what I see is a child who is very confident in the face of chaos. I lived 20 years in Los Angeles before moving to Melbourne and I have seen the paparazzi in action. They are scary, abundant, loud and erratic. The fact that she waves to them and skips and plays and sometimes has a normal kid tantrum in front of them tells me that she is a pretty well adjusted kid for her kind of normal. I want to raise confident girls...no matter what they choose to wear. What I have been thinking about is that we really can’t compare our daughters to Suri Cruise because no matter how many games of Go Fish she may play, she will never have the same kind of normal life that some of our girls have. She has her own version of normal. I think the thing that I take away from Suri Cruise is actually really positive. I don’t give a rat’s pattootie what she is wearing or the kind of cup she carries…what I see is a child who is very confident in the face of chaos. I lived 20 years in Los Angeles before moving to Melbourne and I have seen the paparazzi in action. They are scary, abundant, loud and erratic. The fact that she waves to them and skips and plays and sometimes has a normal kid tantrum in front of them tells me that she is a pretty well adjusted kid for her kind of normal.
I want to raise confident girls…no matter what they choose to wear.

]]> By: cath http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1466 cath Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:55:41 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1466 @Deb I have to agree that I do feel a little sorry for Suri too. She's just a kid, and really - she isn't the one making the decisions we're talking about. And you're right, the media show us the images they choose. It's never a complete picture of what is happening. @Deb
I have to agree that I do feel a little sorry for Suri too. She’s just a kid, and really – she isn’t the one making the decisions we’re talking about. And you’re right, the media show us the images they choose. It’s never a complete picture of what is happening.

]]> By: Deb http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1465 Deb Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:26:55 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1465 I agree in general, my girls love putting makeup on, I don't wear it myself so it's just another game to them. And we buy as many clothes in the boy's section as the girl's. However I do feel a bit sorry for Suri. People wait for her with cameras and shape the image we have of her. If that was my girls one day they might be in pink frilly dresses and handbags, and the next it could be navy trackies and boots. We are only shown a tiny snippet of her life. I agree in general, my girls love putting makeup on, I don’t wear it myself so it’s just another game to them. And we buy as many clothes in the boy’s section as the girl’s.
However I do feel a bit sorry for Suri. People wait for her with cameras and shape the image we have of her. If that was my girls one day they might be in pink frilly dresses and handbags, and the next it could be navy trackies and boots. We are only shown a tiny snippet of her life.

]]> By: Nicole http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1464 Nicole Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:49:47 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1464 I let my 3 year old daughter put on play skin colour nail polish and pink strawberry lip balm and sometimes a bit of hideous eye shadow. All in fun. Mr 1 also has a turn. As for the clothing I have gone as far as speaking to the manager of our local target store to order in some more sun safe dresses with capped sleves. I refuse to buy anything with attitude across the front. I was sad when miss 3 no longer fitted into the 0000-2 sizes. Now looking at the larger sizes for boys they are not tarty but tough. Why does my son have to be a brut, Whats wrong with some cars and animal. He is a big one year old and he already has been gived a shirt that says 'Incredible Hunk'. It is in the back of the cupboard never to be worn. I let my 3 year old daughter put on play skin colour nail polish and pink strawberry lip balm and sometimes a bit of hideous eye shadow. All in fun. Mr 1 also has a turn. As for the clothing I have gone as far as speaking to the manager of our local target store to order in some more sun safe dresses with capped sleves. I refuse to buy anything with attitude across the front. I was sad when miss 3 no longer fitted into the 0000-2 sizes. Now looking at the larger sizes for boys they are not tarty but tough. Why does my son have to be a brut, Whats wrong with some cars and animal. He is a big one year old and he already has been gived a shirt that says ‘Incredible Hunk’. It is in the back of the cupboard never to be worn.

]]> By: kitkitchow http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1463 kitkitchow Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:42:42 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1463 One day my girl (3 yo at the time) watched me put makeup on for work. She asked,'why are you doing colouring on your face, mummy?' One day my girl (3 yo at the time) watched me put makeup on for work. She asked,’why are you doing colouring on your face, mummy?’

]]> By: Christie @ Childhood 101 http://squigglemum.com/featured-articles/playing-ladies/comment-page-1/#comment-1462 Christie @ Childhood 101 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:46:47 +0000 http://squigglemum.com/?p=1778#comment-1462 Super post, Cath, raising very important issues. My 13 year old niece is overweight (largely due to medication for health issues related to a brain injury sustained in a car accident at the age of 4), I have struggled her whole life to find appropriate clothing for her, from a little girl through to pre-teen, as she has always had to have larger sizes I feel the styles have been too adult for each stage of her development. Thank you Super Sarah for your comments about make up. Immy sees me apply make up most days (I have worn make up virtually every day since I was a young teen as I have always been terribly unhappy with my skin) and she like to stand beside me and pretend that she is applying 'cream,' mimicking what I do. I found your comments really helpful as I know the same question will come out of her mouth before too long. Super post, Cath, raising very important issues.

My 13 year old niece is overweight (largely due to medication for health issues related to a brain injury sustained in a car accident at the age of 4), I have struggled her whole life to find appropriate clothing for her, from a little girl through to pre-teen, as she has always had to have larger sizes I feel the styles have been too adult for each stage of her development.

Thank you Super Sarah for your comments about make up. Immy sees me apply make up most days (I have worn make up virtually every day since I was a young teen as I have always been terribly unhappy with my skin) and she like to stand beside me and pretend that she is applying ‘cream,’ mimicking what I do. I found your comments really helpful as I know the same question will come out of her mouth before too long.

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