It’s a continuation (or, apparently, an extra drawing) of this one.
How do you really feel?
I get the sense you’re holding back…
4 Likes
Yeah… no.
Right?
What a wasted ‘teachable moment.’
The first two things I taught my kid were:
A) You can’t always get what you want when you want it.
B) Temper tantrums will not work out in your favor when dealing with mommy.
10 Likes
If your kid wants X for Christmas and X comes in a box of a certain size, be goddamned sure that if there’s a box of a certain sign, it contains X. Otherwise you are going to have a disappointed kid. If you can’t afford X, then don’t buy X of course. If X is inappropriate, then don’t buy X, of course. But don’t make the kid think that X is on the way. It’s cruel.
This little girl wanted a little sister. I can see that. She’s three and thinks she has some notion of what having another girl would mean. A little brother would be confusing to her, perhaps. She’ll get over it, all kids do. But whatever, the Mom and Dad ought to fucking know she wants a little sister and not set her up for disappointment like that.
5 Likes
While I’d agree on one level, that also seems to have a very black’n’white/ Us-versus-them ring to it.
‘Indoctrination’ is a strong word (not much different from ‘propaganda’). I’d say that suggests that someone is doing the indoctrinating with malicious, self-serving intent.
Average people (grab one from the street) use the gender color scheme because they see nothing wrong with that concept. And if they themselves had taught their kids’ ‘It’s okay to like any color best you want’, chances were their girls/boys would still like pink/blue respectively because of society’s and their peers’ influence.
I’d go further and say that norms don’t teach traditional gender roles to oppress women or queer people, but because norms value being ‘normal’ very much, and normal for them simply means being accepted and nicely nested in the group.
Lastly, the boy that ‘loses his shit’, I think, loses it mostly about the fact that having 3 sisters and 0 brothers is unfair in his yet poorly developed little mind. (‘Unfairness’ between siblings is strongly felt by children)
So, dunno, I didn’t like the black’n’whiteness in what I perceived of your view. This of course includes ‘There, see: Pink cake —> all the sexists in the world’
1 Like
If I was thinking in “us versus them” terms, I would have made some personal dig about it. I approach the situation not from a perspective of identity or blame - but rather of process. That this demonstrates how kids are actually socialized into deciding that these differences are so significant at such a young age. People internalize these arbitrary roles for no practical reason and then are often stuck conceptualizing in those terms for their entire lives.
I know that everybody has some conditioning, just by existing. But it weirds me out how some things people try to be critical about socializing, while others they don’t even seem to notice. It’s just not the kind of bonsai tree I would ever try to carve into my kids’ neurons.
2 Likes
I see, while some are not likely to change their ways, this does not matter. The process of progressing toward a better future matters. Wholeheartedly agree.
In general we’d all be better off avoiding mindless, ritualistic, ‘group-thinky’? crap like this and rather should critically evaluate what we teach or internalize.
Yet, not everyone has the same capacity for doing so (unfortunately), yet this is irrelevant for the greater trend, as stated above.
Very good. I propose a mutually respectful high-five (but it can be left implied).
Also, I just oppose a lot of stuff because it’s “look at me” – I mean, hurrah for having a baby. I love babies. Lots of babies! But the impulse of “everyone stop and look at me because I am having a baby and while you may have had a baby, this is mine so it deserves special attention” is sometimes hard to swallow.
3 Likes
The honest truth is that she would be crying over either sex - because she would no longer be the main source of attention from the parents. She has sad face even before seeing the baby color… TRUTH.
I too love myself some babies. But ever since I started my new diet I also find that I can no longer eat many of the larger sized babies. Like you mentioned, they are hard to swallow. I usually have to freeze leftovers.
2 Likes
Opinion.
Even though I agree that the real source of her distress is probably more from the realization that she will now have to share her parents (and everything else) than it is the gender reveal.
Alt Facts!
Damn I miss Spicy more each day…
Pretty much how my toddler deals with disappointment. However, she has told us she wants a baby brother named Andre (she’s obsessed with Andre Rieu). If it must be a baby sister, she wants her to be named Pup. I am not pregnant, and can’t fall pregnant while on blood thinners.
New kitten or a new puppy named Andre, maybe?
Bet ya anything she forgets about a baby sibling for a while…
We just got a new kitty named Magnolia. Not sure it changes things.
Aw…
Nice name, though.
1 Like
We kept her rescue name.
1 Like
Good on ya, for adopting a rescued cat.
1 Like
There’s another way to do it?
1 Like
