My heart goes out to all of the families affected today – those that lost their loved ones, and those lives that will forever be altered as a result of the unimaginable tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This is an older article with some advice about how to handle difficult conversations with your children.
Regarding the senseless Colorado shooting early this morning -
What causes someone to take innocent people’s lives away? And can we, as parents, do anything about it?
Is it lack of attention, love or support from friends and family? Mental illness? Alienation? Low self-esteem? A desire for power over others? Whatever the shooter’s back story, whether it rewinds to his childhood or not, it all comes down to one simple truth that we as parents and educators must try our hardest to instill in our children from the very beginning – be nice to people and have compassion. Sounds easy, but it’s harder to put into practice than it seems.
Teach your kids that their words not only have the capacity to hurt but to heal.
Model compassionate behavior for your children.
Communicate with them. Try to listen without dismissing their feelings, no matter how trivial their problem seems.
I honestly don’t believe that some people are born bad. I think that a person’s life experiences are directly related to their behavior. Everyone at their core just wants to be liked and to be happy. I truly believe that.
If you see warning signs with your child of bullying or being bullied, hanging out with the “wrong” crowd, showing signs of anxiety or depression – do something about it. Scary as it may be, as parents we are entrusted with our children’s lives, and our influence lasts well beyond childhood. No, we can’t stop all of the violence in the world, but we can be a safe haven where our children can feel comfortable knowing they have an ally. Too many times it seems people cry out for help and nobody hears. We can’t stop everyone from hurting others with their words and actions, but we can begin by letting our children know that we are there for them, even when it seems the rest of the world is not. Even as our children become adults, we must stay involved in their lives and take note of any behaviors that throw up a red flag.
I don’t know all of the details of this story – they will trickle out as authorities speak with the shooter’s family, friends and acquaintances, but I have no doubts that warning signs were aplenty as his Mother was quoted as saying, “You have the right person.”
What do you think? Do we have the power to influence our children into adulthood? Are there some people that are simply “bad seeds” or do you believe underneath every violent act there is a cry for help?
(Excerpts taken from HuffPost online)
Sophia is the new top girls’ name in the U.S., unseating Isabella after a two-year reign, according to the Social Security Administration’s announcement of 2011’s most popular baby names.
Jacob remains the most popular name for boys for the 13th year in a row.
The celebrity baby name influence is evidenced by two names leaping up the ranks. Mason, the new number two boys’ name, is the name of Kourtney Kardashian’s baby boy. And Harper, the fastest-rising name for girls, was chosen last year by Victoria and David Beckham for their first daughter.
Sophia is only the tenth name in history to be the U.S. Number one for girls. The others are, in reverse chronological order, Isabella, Emma, Emily, Jessica, Ashley, Jessica (again), Jennifer, Lisa, Linda, and Mary.
Only six names, including Jacob, have held the top spot for boys. Counting backwards from Jacob, they are Michael, David (for one year only, 1960), Michael again, Robert, James, Robert (again), and John.
Here is the list – is your child’s name on it?
| Rank | Male name | Female name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacob | Sophia |
| 2 | Mason | Isabella |
| 3 | William | Emma |
| 4 | Jayden | Olivia |
| 5 | Noah | Ava |
| 6 | Michael | Emily |
| 7 | Ethan | Abigail |
| 8 | Alexander | Madison |
| 9 | Aiden | Mia |
| 10 | Daniel | Chloe |
| 11 | Anthony | Elizabeth |
| 12 | Matthew | Ella |
| 13 | Elijah | Addison |
| 14 | Joshua | Natalie |
| 15 | Liam | Lily |
| 16 | Andrew | Grace |
| 17 | James | Samantha |
| 18 | David | Avery |
| 19 | Benjamin | Sofia |
| 20 | Logan | Aubrey |
| 21 | Christopher | Brooklyn |
| 22 | Joseph | Lillian |
| 23 | Jackson | Victoria |
| 24 | Gabriel | Evelyn |
| 25 | Ryan | Hannah |
| 26 | Samuel | Alexis |
| 27 | John | Charlotte |
| 28 | Nathan | Zoey |
| 29 | Lucas | Leah |
| 30 | Christian | Amelia |
| 31 | Jonathan | Zoe |
| 32 | Caleb | Hailey |
| 33 | Dylan | Layla |
| 34 | Landon | Gabriella |
| 35 | Isaac | Nevaeh |
| 36 | Gavin | Kaylee |
| 37 | Brayden | Alyssa |
| 38 | Tyler | Anna |
| 39 | Luke | Sarah |
| 40 | Evan | Allison |
| 41 | Carter | Savannah |
| 42 | Nicholas | Ashley |
| 43 | Isaiah | Audrey |
| 44 | Owen | Taylor |
| 45 | Jack | Brianna |
| 46 | Jordan | Aaliyah |
| 47 | Brandon | Riley |
| 48 | Wyatt | Camila |
| 49 | Julian | Khloe |
| 50 | Aaron | Claire |
| 51 | Jeremiah | Sophie |
| 52 | Angel | Arianna |
| 53 | Cameron | Peyton |
| 54 | Connor | Harper |
| 55 | Hunter | Alexa |
| 56 | Adrian | Makayla |
| 57 | Henry | Julia |
| 58 | Eli | Kylie |
| 59 | Justin | Kayla |
| 60 | Austin | Bella |
| 61 | Robert | Katherine |
| 62 | Charles | Lauren |
| 63 | Thomas | Gianna |
| 64 | Zachary | Maya |
| 65 | Jose | Sydney |
| 66 | Levi | Serenity |
| 67 | Kevin | Kimberly |
| 68 | Sebastian | Mackenzie |
| 69 | Chase | Autumn |
| 70 | Ayden | Jocelyn |
| 71 | Jason | Faith |
| 72 | Ian | Lucy |
| 73 | Blake | Stella |
| 74 | Colton | Jasmine |
| 75 | Bentley | Morgan |
| 76 | Dominic | Alexandra |
| 77 | Xavier | Trinity |
| 78 | Oliver | Molly |
| 79 | Parker | Madelyn |
| 80 | Josiah | Scarlett |
| 81 | Adam | Andrea |
| 82 | Cooper | Genesis |
| 83 | Brody | Eva |
| 84 | Nathaniel | Ariana |
| 85 | Carson | Madeline |
| 86 | Jaxon | Brooke |
| 87 | Tristan | Caroline |
| 88 | Luis | Bailey |
| 89 | Juan | Melanie |
| 90 | Hayden | Kennedy |
| 91 | Carlos | Destiny |
| 92 | Jesus | Maria |
| 93 | Nolan | Naomi |
| 94 | Cole | London |
| 95 | Alex | Payton |
| 96 | Max | Lydia |
| 97 | Grayson | Ellie |
| 98 | Bryson | Mariah |
| 99 | Diego | Aubree |
| 100 | Jaden | Kaitlyn |
| Note: Rank 1 is the most popular, rank 2 is the next most popular, and so forth. | ||
Did you see the new cover of TIME Magazine?
Attachment Parenting (AP) is once again front-page news and in total turn-off style, TIME has taken the neverending Mommy Wars to a new level with its competitive-laced title, “Are You Mom Enough?” Now granted, I don’t have a TIME subscription so I haven’t yet read the article, but the photo itself is not good for Attachment Parenting. It’s actually pretty exploitative of the parenting style.
The photo of Mommy Blogger Jamie Lynn Grumet breastfeeding her almost four-year-old son Aram is meant to stir up controversy – and the internet is ablaze. TIME knew what it was doing and this photo is just one of a handful of photos of mothers breastfeeding that appear within the cover piece. Parenting is not a contest, and this caption does a disservice for followers of AP everywhere. So do the comments in response to this photo that have cropped up all over the internet.
Attachment Parenting is not a cult of crazy-a$$ Mamas who think that anyone who doesn’t baby-wear, breastfeed until natural weaning occurs, co-sleep or cater to every child’s whim should be stoned in the public square. Rather, it is a parenting style that follows the Eight Principles of Parenting. Attachment parenting has been on the rise over the past two decades, since the publication of The Baby Book by Dr. Bill Sears and his wife Martha in 1992. But to a new Mother, this photo might scream, “Holy crap – he looks like a teenager who would rather be playing video games and she looks defiant, smug and totally pleased with herself. I didn’t choose to/can’t/stopped breastfeeding. Forget if I’m not Mom enough, this Attachment Parenting stuff is freaking weird!” Is it me or is the photo completely contrived and smug?
A comment that I felt was completely on point re: the photo….
“This picture bespeaks “attitude” not education. I am shocked that TIME Magazine is oblivious to the communication this picture engenders. Nasty, coarse, rude comes to mind in seeing this mother standing up and her child on a chair. This could be the poster of how far our society has sunk into the total lack of purity. A mother feeding her child is a beautiful picture. This is bordering on porn and contrived to get attention.”
I didn’t practice AP, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. I had a couple of friends who breastfed their kids until they were 3-4 and yes, we all talked about it because it was different to us but we never said it was disgusting – it just wasn’t our choice. I think that beneath all of that gossip is the nagging feeling that every Mother has – am I doing it right? And the cover photo caption here just adds fuel to the fire. You’re either going to think it’s beautiful, creepy, natural, weird or all of the above. No matter what your opinion, everyone is just trying to do their best for their family. I just feel like this picture takes us all back a few steps. Why do we constantly have to look at images and read articles that make us question our own judgment? Mothers, can’t we stop the incessant bullying and leave each other alone?
I read countless responses daily to parenting articles that simply make people feel like lesser human beings -
“It’s impossible to believe you simply couldn’t produce milk. Everyone produces milk. You just weren’t committed to doing what was best for your child. Formula is poison – don’t you want your child to have a good start in life?”
“You are sick in the head and should be arrested for child abuse if you practice this creepy method of parenting.”
“Extended breastfeeding is gross. When the kid is old enough to ask for a boob, that should be the end of it!”
“What’s with all of the crunchy, granola, co-sleeping, baby-wearing people out there? Don’t you realize you’re going to create clingy, dependent young adults who can’t do anything for themselves? Cut the apron strings already.”
“Watching someone breastfeed a 3 year old totally creeps me out. It’s completely unnatural looking. They are totally capable of handling a fork. This is more for the Mother than the child. These parents refuse to let their kids grow out of babyhood.”
Did you know that children who were a product of AP can be clingy OR independent? That breastfed children can end up healthier OR sicker than their formula-fed peers? That children can adhere to boundaries and discipline no matter what the parenting style? That co-sleeping can create a beautiful bond but that you can bond just as well if you choose to sleep separately?If you put down another person’s parenting because they are different, you must be afraid that you are doing something wrong. Otherwise, why would it be so important to spend so much time commenting and bashing their choices? If we want to create children who preach tolerance and acceptance, it has to come from us. And we’re doing a really crappy job of being role models and teammates for motherhood. Parenting is about making decisions out of love for our own children, not others. There is no right or wrong unless abuse, neglect and/or endangerment enters the picture.
Yes, yes, yes. The three main tenets of AP - breastfeeding, sleeping with your offspring, and carrying your offspring on your body – have been part of mammalian behavioral patterns for 65 million years. Most mothers around the world have always practiced attachment parenting. It isn’t some extreme or new-fangled movement.
But different seems to make people feel uncomfortable.
To the people who spend countless hours thinking about how to make everyone conform to their life practices, I ask you this…
What are you trying to prove? And to whom?
Go spend time with your kids.
Whether they were fed breastmilk or cow’s milk, they will remember feeling loved. Attended to. Respected. Played with.
Whether you fell asleep beside them or tucked them into their crib, they will remember you were there. Listening. Asking them questions. Teaching them about the world.
They will remember your smiles, tickles and hugs. They will remember your smell. They will remember YOU. And you – no matter what your parenting decisions – is all they want at the end of the day.
So stop worrying that formula will turn your child into a serial killer. Or that you’re not “Mom Enough” in the eyes of strangers you don’t know on the internet.
If you make decisions based on love, you’re Mom enough for your kid, and that’s all that matters.
____________________
Note: I wrote this at 2am and re-read it this morning. Not my best work, but I was emotionally charged after seeing the photo and poring through hundreds of responses meant to insult, bash and bully parents for their choices. So it remains as is. Sorry for the rambling.
I returned home after a long but fun-filled day and began my usual Sunday night routine - check e-mail, some mindless scrolling on Facebook, fulfill some orders for Princessories and then a quick look ahead at the upcoming week on my calendar…
WAIT! What is that big pink circle around Monday, November 21?
Is it here already?!?!
IT’S MY SITS DAY!
If you haven’t found yourself here by way of The SITS Girls site, let me tell you a little bit about it (and if you are here via SITS – welcome and thank you for your support!!) The SITS Girls are a group of 10,000 women bloggers dedicated to supporting one another by leaving comments on each other’s blogs. It is one of the first things you hear about when becoming a blogger. If you scroll down a little bit, you’ll see the SITS Girls button on this site. To get my turn as Featured Blogger after only a year of blogging is thrilling to me! Check out the site today to see my bio and a few of my favorite posts.
For my Feature Day, I wanted to write about something deeply personal but I tend to get super lengthy and would rather not have you fall asleep on the keyboard, so I’ll keep it light since this may be your first visit to Playing Mom. It’s Thanksgiving Week, so it only seems appropriate to share with you (in no particular order) the Top 5 Things I’m Thankful For in 2011:
5. Weight Watchers. When you get to the point where you leave the house in sweats every day because you don’t feel like buying clothes in yet another size (and you think it looks good because people will think you just left the gym) it’s good to know there’s somewhere you can go to regain control. My excellent eating habits included skipping meals, eating the kids’ leftovers before getting started on my own dinner, forgetting to drink water and grabbing whatever was in reach when I felt hungry. I joined the day before Halloween for good reason. I couldn’t say with certainty that I wouldn’t finish off a plastic orange pumpkin full of candy in less than a week. I’m happy to report that I’m down 9.2 pounds in 3 weeks.
4. My calendar. It is my brain spilled out on paper, color-coded for special occasions. Without it, I would do something idiotic like forget my SITS Day was coming until 10pm the night before. (Oops – maybe I should keep it in the car?)
3. Friends and Family. There’s nothing quite like spending time with friends, even more so after having kids. Maybe it’s just that I talk to a 1-year-old all day and when I do “work” it’s at home, but spending quality time alone with my close friends feels like a breath of fresh air. I love the freedom of going out and being someone other than Mommy for a few hours. I never get tired of adventures and catch-up conversations and sharing issues and news good and bad with someone I trust. It is important and necessary and wonderful to love and connect with friends.
My husband Cory and my kids Ryan and Alexa are the funniest, cutest and most amazing people that I know. Each year their stock goes up. I could not be luckier or more proud of them. Cory and I have been together for almost 15 years and married for 8 1/2. He is still my very best friend who has seen me not only at my best, but also in my darkest days and has always showered me with unwavering love and support. I knew with 100% certainty when we were dating that he would make a wonderful Daddy one day. He has delivered to infinity and beyond. We come from two close-knit families that seamlessly merged into one and I thank my lucky stars every day for being surrounded by such supportive and loving people.
2. Naps and Iced Coffee. These two go hand in hand - let’s start with naps. These magical, fleeting moments of slumber are a sure addiction. It’s no coincidence that my maiden name loosely rhymes with “Napperman” and my current last name with “Sleeperman”. I am a night owl, staying up until the wee hours of the morning until my own clock smacks me in the face and snarkily reminds me that I have children to attend to. So, like a Kindergartner, I take my mandatory daily resting time so I don’t become Miss Crankypants.
Onto iced coffee. I like to say that each day is a new beginning, an opportunity to change and grow and see the world through a fresh lens. But that lens is blurry, cracked and dismal without caffeine. Thank you, Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks. Whichever one is closer and has a drive-thru window.
1. It was a toss-up between Phillies baseball, frozen chocolate-covered bananas, Zoloft, children’s television shows, my iPhone, good health, 80′s music, sushi, Words With Friends, the cold side of the pillow, massages, summertime, my frittata maker, Facebook and Bobbi Brown concealer but I think I’m gonna toss that aside and go with YOU. Although I started this blog with the intent of it being an online family diary of sorts, I am thankful that all of you have taken this journey with me and supported me through e-mails, suggestions, comments and the sharing of your own experiences. I know I like to intertwine humor and sarcasm in my writing, but I honestly couldn’t have imagined such a wonderful support system. Blogging = free therapy. I’m even thankful for the negative comments, it helps me to see a different point of view or learn something new about myself and my own reactions to criticism.
So, that’s my short list. I’d love to know what YOU’RE thankful for this year…
Thanks for stopping by to help celebrate my SITS Day!
Dani
Just wanted to give myself a quick shout out (can you even give yourself a shout out?) for being selected one of the 8 Parent Panel members on Long Island Parent Source.com – an online community where I’ll be reviewing products and events, blogging about family life and much more.
Please check out the site at www.longislandparentsource.com and see the Parent Panel announcement here.
As we reflect on our memories of September 11, 2001, force ourselves to watch the TV specials and become deeply emotional at the loss of lives, shared faith and innocence, I find myself determined not to focus on the evil, but on the strength of the human spirit that rose up on the day the towers fell.
I wanted to write about my personal 9/11 story, then decided against it. It was a day that profoundly affected millions of people across the globe, not just those of us living in New York. It is the story of our country’s resilience in the face of devastation. My story pales in comparison to the reality of the lives forever changed by loved ones who never made it home.
When we say “Never Forget” – it means much more than remembering the terrorist attacks on America’s soil - the pillars that touched the sky falling in a massive dusty cloud to the ground, the attack on the Pentagon and the tremendous courage of those who saved countless lives as they lost theirs in an open field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We should never forget the strength of the human spirit on that day and in the weeks and months that followed. The men and women who selflessly sacrificed their lives to save the lives of strangers. The tireless workers who spent months at Ground Zero in dangerous conditions delicately attending to the recovery mission, trying to find anything at all that would give countless families some kind of closure.
We waved our flags.
Looked out for each other on the subways.
Greeted our neighbors.
We were proud to be Americans.
We sang the National Anthem with renewed pride.
We are strong and will not be defeated, we cried.
Our country came together in ways I had never seen in my then 24 years. I was proud – really proud - to be an American for the first time because I finally understood what it meant. I was also scared. The loss of innocence was unnerving and I didn’t know what to do with the prevalent anxiety that creeped into my life and remained there for the next few years. The world seemed to be spiraling in a negative direction – or maybe I just wasn’t a kid anymore. Riding the subway with hyper-vigilance. Flight 587 in Queens. Anthrax. The Washington DC sniper attacks. Who wanted to start a family in this world? But we moved forward despite our fears.
My proudest memory of that time – aside from the aid we provided to the Ground Zero workers through my company - occurred six days later on September 17, when my Dad and I attended a Phillies/Braves game at the old Veterans Stadium. It was a show of solidarity for thousands of fans to come out to a public arena, rally towels waving, to show the world our message – WE WILL NOT COWER IN FEAR. That night, the National Anthem made us weep. God Bless America was sung as if we were hearing the words for the first time. With every plane that flew near the ballpark, we collectively held our breath.
My Dad made a banner that we held proudly in the stands. We are honored to be a part of team history as that banner was forever immortalized in a photo featured by news outlets across the country (the photo at the top of this post – we are in the upper left hand corner with the banner hanging over the railing). For me, the return of baseball was a sign of our shared strength in the face of overwhelming uncertainty. For one night, baseball made everything better. We took back a piece of our lives and were united like never before. Scott Rolen hit two home runs that night, the Phillies won, and in a strange way, we felt like we gave a collective middle finger to our enemy.
Ten years later – we haven’t forgotten, but our lives are forever altered.
One day, a couple of months after 9/11, we took the flags down. We stopped being so neighborly. We went back to our usual routines and got used to a new normal.
My hope for our children is for them to live in a world where the headlines stop screaming about political divisiveness, child abductions, the importance of reality TV stars and economic recession – the world in which we lived just after 9/11 – when we opened our hearts and helped each other as we had never done before.
May we never forget the uprising of the human spirit during those raw, emotional days when we were united in solidarity.
We may never be a world at peace, but we can raise our children to be free of hate and prejudice. After all, no human being is born with hatred in their heart. We can do our part to put some kindness back into the world.
Whatever this day means to you, may you hold your family a little tighter, love a little deeper and remember the real and true important things in life.
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” – Gandhi
As the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 approaches, I’m having a difficult time putting into words how a simple picture or mention of that day makes me feel. The events of that day has shaped the way we go about our lives – for better or for worse.
As I began writing this morning, I received a rare e-mail from Meetup.com founder Scott Heiferman, who sent the e-mail to the almost 10 million active Meetup members. Meetup holds a special place in my heart because it gave me the opportunity to find a community of friends that have been there with me through every stage of parenthood. I am grateful to Mr. Heiferman for creating a wonderful outlet for people with specific interests who want to meet like-minded people, but especially for giving new Mothers a much-needed forum. Of course, Meetup would be nothing if not for the hard-working group administrators who create and attend events and I am especially grateful to the organizers of the Moms of North East Queens who helped me find a place in this vast world of stay-at-home parenthood.
I wanted to share the e-mail with you. May his words can serve as a reminder that we are all neighbors.
Fellow Meetuppers,
I don’t write to our whole community often, but this week is
special because it’s the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and many
people don’t know that Meetup is a 9/11 baby.Let me tell you the Meetup story. I was living a couple miles
from the Twin Towers, and I was the kind of person who thought
local community doesn’t matter much if we’ve got the internet
and tv. The only time I thought about my neighbors was when I
hoped they wouldn’t bother me.When the towers fell, I found myself talking to more neighbors
in the days after 9/11 than ever before. People said hello to
neighbors (next-door and across the city) who they’d normally
ignore. People were looking after each other, helping each
other, and meeting up with each other. You know, being
neighborly.A lot of people were thinking that maybe 9/11 could bring
people together in a lasting way. So the idea for Meetup was
born: Could we use the internet to get off the internet — and
grow local communities?We didn’t know if it would work. Most people thought it was a
crazy idea — especially because terrorism is designed to make
people distrust one another.A small team came together, and we launched Meetup 9 months
after 9/11.Today, almost 10 years and 10 million Meetuppers later, it’s
working. Every day, thousands of Meetups happen. Moms Meetups,
Small Business Meetups, Fitness Meetups… a wild variety of
100,000 Meetup Groups with not much in common — except one
thing.Every Meetup starts with people simply saying hello to
neighbors. And what often happens next is still amazing to me.
They grow businesses and bands together, they teach and
motivate each other, they babysit each other’s kids and find
other ways to work together. They have fun and find solace
together. They make friends and form powerful community. It’s
powerful stuff.It’s a wonderful revolution in local community, and it’s thanks
to everyone who shows up.Meetups aren’t about 9/11, but they may not be happening if it
weren’t for 9/11.9/11 didn’t make us too scared to go outside or talk to
strangers. 9/11 didn’t rip us apart. No, we’re building new
community together!!!!The towers fell, but we rise up. And we’re just getting started
with these Meetups.Scott Heiferman (on behalf of 80 people at Meetup HQ)
Co-Founder & CEO, Meetup
New York City
September 2011
The food pyramid is going the way of Ancient Egypt.
The USDA rolled out a new icon today – MyPlate. A simpler, easier to understand icon so that schoolchildren can visualize healthier eating habits. More than one third of children in the U.S. are obese, along with more than two-thirds of adults.
I know I learned about the food pyramid in school but I couldn’t tell you exactly how many servings of fruits and veggies I should have been eating daily. Also, the top of the pyramid had sweets and sugar, which kind of seemed like it was the most important, even though it was the smallest section. Kids like what’s at “the top”, you know?
So I’m thinking I will print out this visual reminder and that should ensure that Ryan eats a plate of asparagus tonight. Glad I solved that problem!
Oh, and where is the section called “Mommy’s dessert”? I guess they must have made an error. I’ll call today to get that straightened out.
Check out http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html for a breakdown of the food guidelines and other helpful information.
Do you think the new MyPlate icon is a step in the right direction or will it not make any sort of difference in your child’s life whatsoever? Sound off!
You know what the trouble is with young girls today? Their breasts aren’t pushed up and separated enough. And that just makes me MAD!
MAD MAD MAD!!!!
Not sure if you heard about this over the weekend, but abercrombie kids (Abercrombie & Fitch’s shop for boys and girls ages 7-14) has rolled out their spring line of bathing suits and at the helm of their collection is the Ashley Push Up Triangle padded bikini top (bottoms sold separately).
No joke. A padded bikini top, offered up to girls as young as 7. Because we all know your 1st grader could stand to look a little more like the women on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition. Duh.
The picture above contains the original name and description. As a result of a barrage of complaints aimed at the retailer, they recently updated the product name on the site to the Ashley Striped Triangle, still described as padded, but has not pulled the product off of shelves. Or the padding out of the top.
An additional edit was made today that omitted “padded” as a descriptor.
Abercrombie, you’re doing a lot of work for an itty bitty booby suit. What’s your next edit – selling the bottom only?
I think this sends a signal to young girls that they are sexual objects and to grown men that they are appropriate sexual objects.
I understand that some girls are in that in-between stage where they have budding breasts and it feels awkward for them to not fill out a bikini top. I say that’s why there are one-piece swimsuits.
Padded and push-up are ways that women play at “altering” their bodies. Everyone knows that the whole point of a “push-up” is to lift, separate and enhance the breasts. Is that the lesson we want to teach our young children? If you’re not sexy, you’re not beautiful?
On the hypocritical side, I am more than excited for my own daughter to put on makeup and don some sequined and probably whorish-looking dance recital outfit one day. Because I think it’s cute. And I did it when I was little. So why do we constantly push our children to look like, act like and dress like adults? Where does it cross the line? Is it cute for your baby to wear Juicy across her tush at 6 months but not at 6 years?
Abercrombie is no stranger to controversy. They have come under fire in the past for portraying nude teenage models in sexually provocative attire in their catalogs, offering thong underwear in children’s sizes with the words “eye candy” and “wink, wink” on them, and who could forget the “Wong Brothers Laundry Service” t-shirt uproar. Controversy is a great marketing strategy – but at what expense?
What do you think? Hysteria warranted or not?
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