# How do you feel about this?



## Warrigal (Nov 2, 2014)

I'm anticipating that there will be a variety of responses but my reaction to this photo, from a site selling baby jewellery and accessories, is "Poor little petal. Why do little babies have to wear this kind of frippery?"

Do baby boys get the same treatment or is it just girls?


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## Warrigal (Nov 2, 2014)

Holy Moly, it gets worse.

This item is potentially deadly as well as cute.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 2, 2014)

I don't see the sense in putting fancy jewelry or makeup on babies at all, I think those parents have issues themselves.  Kim Kardashian has a reality show here, although I don't know what made her famous expect she was born into money and she's trashy, she has no talent.  She's already making her baby model, and I understand she even had the baby's eyebrows waxed when she was an infant...that to me is sick!


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## Debby (Nov 3, 2014)

I looked up the story about the baby getting her eyebrows waxed and I think it's a rumour but Ms. K. has denied it.  She says that would be a sick thing to do to a baby also.  It started because of speculation over how perfect the little girls eyebrows looked in one photo.  My guess is that they probably used a touch of gel to tame them but because they looked so groomed, the rumour got started.  I don't know, maybe she's lying, but maybe she isn't.  She certainly is a pretty baby that's for sure.

I'm not into piercing baby's ears (why hurt someone you love even a tiny bit?).  When my girls were babies, getting them vaccinated was something I hated to do.  I remember crying when they did because of the shot so I can't imagine doing something that would have given my wee sweeties pain for the sake of earrings!  But if these moms want to dress them up with junk for the sake of photos I don't really care.  It's their money, their kid.  As long as they don't continue on to become those mother daughter couples that do the baby beauty pageant thing with all that horrible sexualizing that goes on because I think those children get a really skewed idea of their own importance and the reason they're important as human beings.


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## Ralphy1 (Nov 3, 2014)

No!  Boys get circumcised!  I'd rather the adornments...


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## Justme (Nov 3, 2014)

Poor baby, the mother should be seen by a psychiatrist!


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## Ameriscot (Nov 3, 2014)

Ralphy1 said:


> No!  Boys get circumcised!  I'd rather the adornments...



Not in Europe they don't!


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## Ameriscot (Nov 3, 2014)

Dame Warrigal said:


> I'm anticipating that there will be a variety of responses but my reaction to this photo, from a site selling baby jewellery and accessories, is "Poor little petal. Why do little babies have to wear this kind of frippery?"
> 
> Do baby boys get the same treatment or is it just girls?



This is cute just long enough to take the photo.  Then take it off the poor baby!


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## Lee (Nov 3, 2014)

I have seen these type of baby pictures in the Baby Announcements in the newspaper. On the baby boys some put a baseball cap. I think it's all about covering the lack of hair.


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## Warrigal (Nov 3, 2014)

I can't relocate the site where these photos were posted but it wasn't a photography site. It was a sales outlet for baby accessories and it is the prevalence of beaded items that worries me. That and the early feminisation of infants.


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## Pappy (Nov 3, 2014)

The beads and trinkets worry me too. You know the first thing that a baby grabs goes right into its mouth. I can see hats or caps but forget the jewelry.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Not something I care one way or the other about.  So long as the baby is not being hurt, I would leave it up to the parents how they want to decorate it.


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## Justme (Nov 3, 2014)

A baby isn't a toy which can be decorated!


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## JustBonee (Nov 3, 2014)

I'm not a fan of any of that.  It's one thing to momentarily put a bow in their hair to take a picture, but  that's about it for me.
Let babies be babies..


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## Ameriscot (Nov 3, 2014)

Pappy said:


> The beads and trinkets worry me too. You know the first thing that a baby grabs goes right into its mouth. I can see hats or caps but forget the jewelry.



I object to beads as well.  All you have to do is turn your back for a second and the baby is choking on it.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Justme said:


> A baby isn't a toy which can be decorated!



Of course the "tongue in cheek" was lost on you dear...


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Ameriscot said:


> I object to beads as well.  All you have to do is turn your back for a second and the baby is choking on it.



I agree...  I would imagine they were put on for the pic and removed..  All in all... the kid looks pretty comfortable, sleeping soundly and doesn't appear in agony.. or even the least bit bothered..   If mom wants a pic with bows and beads it's her choice to make.  Don't know why it bothers anyone..


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

So far as piercing goes.. ie ear piercing..  I don't think a baby should be subjected to that, and had I had girls, it would have waited until they were in their teens.  However, there are cultural aspects to it.  It is very common in Latino culture for babies to have pierced ears and it's done frequently.  NOW.. that's not to say I agree with all cultural norms.. genital mutilation is an abhorrent practice and should be eliminated..  AND some would say that the Western practice of circumcision is barbaric..  On these levels. ear piercing seems pretty tame to me.


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## Justme (Nov 3, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> So far as piercing goes.. ie ear piercing..  I don't think a baby should be subjected to that, and had I had girls, it would have waited until they were in their teens.  However, there are cultural aspects to it.  It is very common in Latino culture for babies to have pierced ears and it's done frequently.  NOW.. that's not to say I agree with all cultural norms.. genital mutilation is an abhorrent practice and should be eliminated..  AND some would say that the Western practice of circumcision is barbaric..  On these levels. ear piercing seems pretty tame to me.



Ear piercing in small children, whatever the culture, should be illegal. Circumcision should also be illegal unless there is a good medical reason for doing so.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Justme said:


> Ear piercing in small children, whatever the culture, should be illegal. Circumcision should also be illegal unless there is a good medical reason for doing so.



Some say circumcision will prevent problems in the future.  I have a brother-in-law that had recurrent infections due to not being circumcised.  He had the procedure in his 20's... something he would never want to go through again.    My sons were circumcised.  I'm torn on the issue.. although most people here in the States still  have it done.

Ear piercing should be left up to the parents. It's not that big of a deal..  I can't get all worked up about it.


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## Justme (Nov 3, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> Some say circumcision will prevent problems in the future.  I have a brother-in-law that had recurrent infections due to not being circumcised.  He had the procedure in his 20's... something he would never want to go through again.    My sons were circumcised.  I'm torn on the issue.. although most people here in the States still  have it done.
> 
> Ear piercing should be left up to the parents. It's not that big of a deal..  I can't get all worked up about it.



The foreskin is there for a purpose and should not be removed unless there is a problem! It is like removing the appendix just in case one gets appendicitis!


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

I don't disagree...  But again... shouldn't this be left up to the parents?


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## Twixie (Nov 3, 2014)

If it was my child, I wouldn't want to put cheap trash on her to make her look ''sweet''..

But as pointed out..she doesn't look in any discomfort and sleeping soundly!!..:love_heart:


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## Falcon (Nov 3, 2014)

A baby's head is soft and still forming. Putting a band around it may cause a permanent formation.

AND, Being a man, I'm all for circumcision. It's much more sanitary and easier to take care of while bathing.

I'm glad I had it done and also my two boys.  In some religions, it's mandatory.


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## Justme (Nov 3, 2014)

Circumcision is cruel and unnecessary unless there is a problem, it causes a lot of pain!


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Twixie said:


> If it was my child, I wouldn't want to put cheap trash on her to make her look ''sweet''..
> 
> But as pointed out..she doesn't look in any discomfort and sleeping soundly!!..:love_heart:



I think she looks adorable in her bow and beads...  I guess it's a matter of taste..  I would have done it if I had had a girl..  CUTE..   To each his own.  and I don't think an elastic bow on a babies head for the sake of a picture is going to permanently deform her..  The soft spot.. ie the fontenelle is on the top of the head.. If coming down the birth canal doesn't give everyone a cone head.. this isn't going to do it.


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## Ameriscot (Nov 3, 2014)

Justme said:


> Circumcision is cruel and unnecessary unless there is a problem, it causes a lot of pain!



Agree!  When I moved to the UK and the topic came up people were horrified to find out it's routine in the US.


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## ClassicRockr (Nov 3, 2014)

Well, IMO.........some of us are showing our age! Perhaps years ago, people wouldn't see this kind of thing that much, if at all. BUT, that was "years ago"! Today is an entirely different "day and age". Parents try to think of the cutest ways to dress-up their babies and kids. There are even Halloween costumes out there for babies! Go to a professional baby photographer and see what they will put on a baby. Parents want to be "creative", even with their kids.


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## Twixie (Nov 3, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> I think she looks adorable in her bow and beads...  I guess it's a matter of taste..  I would have done it if I had had a girl..  CUTE..   To each his own.  and I don't think an elastic bow on a babies head for the sake of a picture is going to permanently deform her..  The soft spot.. ie the fontenelle is on the top of the head.. If coming down the birth canal doesn't give everyone a cone head.. this isn't going to do it.



Instead of cheap beads I would have bought some big roses to put round her head whilst I was taking the piccie....


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Twixie said:


> Instead of cheap beads I would have bought some big roses to put round her head whilst I was taking the piccie....



Now HOW do you know those bead are cheap?  For all we know they could be some sort of family heirloom.. or a tradition.   I still think it's cute.  Our family passes down a tiny diamond cross necklace.  Every baby girl has a picture wearing that cross..  It was NOT left on.. it was for the picture, and then put away for safe keeping.  I would hate to think someone thought we were a bunch of baby girl hussies.. lol!!


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## Twixie (Nov 3, 2014)

QuickSilver said:


> Now HOW do you know those bead are cheap?  For all we know they could be some sort of family heirloom.. or a tradition.   I still think it's cute.  Our family passes down a tiny diamond cross necklace.  Every baby girl has a picture wearing that cross..  It was NOT left on.. it was for the picture, and then put away for safe keeping.  I would hate to think someone thought we were a bunch of baby girl hussies.. lol!!



Obviously they look like cheap beads..didn't really go with the elastic round her head..one this occasion QS...we will have to agree to disagree..


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## Cookie (Nov 3, 2014)

I find those elastic thingies with the big flower ridiculous and they look uncomfortable and distract from the real beauty and cuteness of the baby. If there's a special occasion and one wants to dress up a baby a bit, I'd go for a sunhat or little cap.  Beads on a toddler are asking for trouble.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

So I guess you all will have to make sure when you have your next baby... not to put any of that on her!!  lol!!

It's just a joke...  ok?    I'm just not feelin' the seriousness of this..


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## Cookie (Nov 3, 2014)

My next baby (next lifetime maybe?) will not be wearing any of them doohickies, fer darn sure.

I like the non - seriousness of this  -  light and superficial is a nice break from more stressful subjects we read about.


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## Davey Jones (Nov 3, 2014)

That baby got a great future on the the reality show "Toddlers & Tiaras" , that what this is all about?


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## Twixie (Nov 3, 2014)

I hate those things..awful.unnatural..and pedophile fodder...


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## QuickSilver (Nov 3, 2014)

Twixie said:


> I hate those things..awful.unnatural..and pedophile fodder...



That poor sleeping baby with a flower bow and a little bracelet is fodder for a pedophile?  Give me a break..   She's not in a thong and a push-up bra.


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## Cookie (Nov 3, 2014)

I think might be about gender identity - dressing girls in pink and boys in blue. This is changing now. This seems to be a loaded topic - from what appears to be an innocent little headband.  I'm glad I didn't have to deal with that when my son was a baby.  Could dress him in overalls or whatever without worrying about whether it would affect his identity negatively.  

But my cousin's daughter is a 'model' who was always very cute as a baby, now displaying sexy exploitative photographs of herself online - which I find disburbing, and putting herself at risk - so I can see where all this can lead - in the extreme.

View attachment 10828

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## oakapple (Nov 3, 2014)

I think it looks a bit silly, but it really doesn't worry me anymore than the silliness of dressing up pets [and plenty do that I believe.]


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## Davey Jones (Nov 3, 2014)

Justme said:


> Circumcision is cruel and unnecessary unless there is a problem, it causes a lot of pain!



One4 thing you gals are forgetting,a circumsized male makes sex a hellova lot more pleasureble for him then one that is "covered".


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## Ameriscot (Nov 3, 2014)

Davey Jones said:


> One4 thing you gals are forgetting,a circumsized male makes sex a hellova lot more pleasureble for him then one that is "covered".



Really?  I think a lot of Europeans would argue with that.  My husband has no complaints about his pleasure.   He did wonder why American men make comments or jokes about vaseline....so I had to explain it to him.  Uncircumsized males don't need it.


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## Just plain me (Nov 3, 2014)

I know of parents whose baby wore the headband. But they were fake and no beads. Also were being held in Mama's arms all the time. Didn't like to pass the baby around. So I guess my vote is no beads or tiny parts but the rest depends on how vigalent the parents are. The baby in this photo didn't seem to be enjoying it! LOL!


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## Falcon (Nov 3, 2014)

The Vaseline is used on the outside bedroom doorknobs to keep the kids from opening the bedroom door
while you're "doing it".


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## Meanderer (Nov 3, 2014)

Ralphy1 said:


> No!  Boys get circumcised!  I'd rather the adornments...


View attachment 10837


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## Pappy (Nov 3, 2014)

WANTED:  Part time help needed in hospital circumcision dept.

                $50.00 a week plus tips.


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## SeaBreeze (Nov 3, 2014)

How about some tats and piercings?


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## Warrigal (Nov 3, 2014)

Please tell me that image is photoshopped.

I've been trying to analyse my reactions. I think part of it is my ethnic origin which tends to avoid ostentation everywhere. I'm not happy with the whole 'princess' label for little girls.

The other part is my feminist philosophy that wants little girls to be allowed to develop unfettered by female stereotypes that channel them into narrow life choices as adults. "You are so pretty," is not the highest compliment you can pay anyone, but girls do become conditioned to need this kind of compliment from a very early age.

I'm also against using babies as dress up toys.

Anyhoo, I've located the website that set me off in the first place. It's on Facebook. If you want to look at the goods for sale, including some very fancy baby wipes, see here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jewells/548599655226998


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## Ralphy1 (Nov 4, 2014)

How did you get this picture of my grandson?


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## Ameriscot (Nov 4, 2014)

Dame Warrigal said:


> Please tell me that image is photoshopped.
> 
> I've been trying to analyse my reactions. I think part of it is my ethnic origin which tends to avoid ostentation everywhere. I'm not happy with the whole 'princess' label for little girls.
> 
> ...



I understand exactly what you mean.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 4, 2014)

I have no problem with dressing as ones gender if that is what you are more comfortable with.  I have no problem with little girls being dressed in frills and little boys in football jerseys.    I have always liked feminine dress. I always wore dresses and hair bows as a child.   To label me a "little princess"  would be a very bad mistake.     I think we should pay less attention to how we are dressing little girls  and MORE attention to what we are teaching them in school, and in how we can steer them to obtain their potential in society.   More attention to ensuring women are paid equally for equal work and to giving them the opportunity to excel, by providing affordable child care and healthcare.    Bows and bracelets or lack thereof do not define a female..

ps... I STILL think the little headband and bracelet are adorable..  :bowknot:


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## Warrigal (Nov 4, 2014)

I think clothing in pre-schoolers does matter. Our child care centre has had to ban super hero costumes because of the number of incidents of aggressive play that broke out when the boys were wearing them. We now know about the plasticity of human brains. I worry about little girls who only wear pink for example, rejecting every other colour of the palette. Harmless enough perhaps and they will grow out of it but what else goes with this mind set. "I'm a girl, so I only do girly things. Maths is is for boys, so I won't bother with maths. Science is for nerdy boys. Sport makes you sweaty but dancing is OK."


A lot of girls end up short changed in life because of these attitudes. I see the hyper feminisation of babies as part of the spectrum of placing females in a box of others' choosing.

School can have an effect. Teaching teenaged girls was my profession and we certainly did our best to open up the world to them but school is a much weaker influence than the home.


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## Cookie (Nov 4, 2014)

Thank you Dame Warrigal, my sentiments too.  

When I was in high school in the 60's there were very few career options for girls - nurses, secretaries, school teachers, lab technicians - or get married and be a wife and mother. Girls were encouraged to look pretty and feminine (a bit before women's lib) and the goal was to get married and raise a family.  At home the focus was often on clothes and hairstyles and learning how to keep house.  Obviously, if your marriage broke down and you were left supporting your kids and trying to earn a living, things could get pretty tight on the low pay of those feminine careers - if you were even lucky to have one. 

These days things are a lot better for girls who have more career choices equal to men, but it's still an uphill climb.  Breaking out of the 'feminine' stereotype has been instrumental in providing women with more financial freedom and greater independence.  -  But this is not groundbreaking news - it's been going on for decades.


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## QuickSilver (Nov 4, 2014)

It's NOT the CLOTHES.....Ladies... it was the attitude at the time..  If girls were encouraged to achieve in  the same way  as boys, dresses and bows would not matter.  When I was in highschool, I never once got to see a guidence counselor... never once was encouraged to go on to school  despite my excellent grades.    Do you REALLY believe it was the clothes that had us disadvantaged back then?


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## Cookie (Nov 5, 2014)

Hello and good morning,

Yes, I agree it was the attitude at the  time that played a large part in the roles assigned to girls.  But I  think clothes do play a big part in women's self image, from what I see  today and in the past.  Maybe I an anthropologist could answer why it's  the men who wore the pants and women are still wearing those crippling  high heels.  At least now we can all wear pants.  When I was a kid girls  had to wear skirts to school regardless of the sub-zero temperatures,  in which case we wore our pants under our skirts til we got to school.   Certainly there has always been pressure on women to look 'pretty' and  the fashion industry is raking in zillions and young women are still  spending money and time agonizing about their appearance.  Is is all  about money or all about sex and power?


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## QuickSilver (Nov 5, 2014)

Well, be that as it may...  I like to look feminine..   I see no weakness in it.   I have always worn the pants in MY family even though they had lace on them.  I have always been the predominant breadwinner, out earning all of my husbands by multiples... YET I did in in feminine clothing...  how could that have happened?


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## Cookie (Nov 5, 2014)

I salute you!  
I have total respect for women and their accomplishments be it success in business, education or in the arts and crafts.  I also have respect for men and their great accomplishments.  You are an excellent role model for young women, exemplifying all that can be achieved.  Kudos to you!


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