After all the dust has settled from the booze-fest playdates….everyone talked about judgment and how we (moms) have to stop judging ourselves and each other and doing comparisons etc.
But we really do seem to do it. And you really see it in the mommyblogs magnified. My opinion anyway.
You see it in who visits who…who tends to ALWAYS agree with the poster, and who never even acknowledges a different opinion in the comments and so on. Posts about topics that really should create debate just turn into a big hug fest and a ‘you are always right’ and the dissenters are ignored.
I am not going to link to the posts that have set me off on this.
But I will say that recently with a few bloggers out there, I GET that I shouldn’t even bother posting if I am not in total agreement.
Virtual backs are turned.
You know THAT blogger will never visit your little cyber home.
Now I get that we gravitate to bloggers of a like mind. But my bookmarks and links are quite varied and I don’t always agree with the mindsets and opinions there. Doesn’t mean I don’t like the blogger. We are all allowed differing opinions.
But I get the impression that if you disagree….go post about it on your own blog!
There is a topic wandering around about the branding of our kids, and again, that whiff of elitism arises. You know that you can’t mention the SpongeBob birthday theme party you had or the Dora toys you bought, or the trip to the mall, without knowing you will get nothing but a ‘hmm hmm’ in response.
This is the same reason I avoid playgroups unless I really gotta go.
Honestly, I think with branding….it is a tough fight. I think it is better to just downplay than try to totally avoid. It is like kids who were never allowed candy or tv or to play with guns….you know that out of your care, they are finding ways to access those things no matter how ‘well’ you brought them up.
So really, lighten up. Don’t embrace all the marketing and branding. But don’t try to deny it either. And then teach your kids about marketing. They are smarter than we give them credit.
And again, there is no ‘me better than you’ in parenting. We are all doing our best based on what works for us and what sort of society or culture we live in.
Technorati Tags: branding, marketing, parenting, malls, retail, judgement, playdates
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Bee says
First, I have to say your site is looking GREAT!
I agree with you about teaching your kids about marketing, what starts out as wanting Dora, or Spongebob – turns into wanting name brand clothes and all the latest.
Where do the kids get the money from, their parents π
I have a rule with my kids, they want name brand items – which typically cost WAY more than what I think reasonable, they pay the difference. It is amazing when it has to come out of their pockets how they think about whether it is worth it or not.
As far as having them enjoy whatever craze of the day is, big deal they are kids let them enjoy it while they can. My youngest loved Barney and I have a Barney themed birthday – and had the same kind of feedback some of the parents. The only bad thing I saw come from that party is that I made the cake myself and the icing created a lovely purple poo that made me think my child had some kind of wierd disorder!
And.. while we are on birthday parties – I have always had the kids birthday parties at home. I can’t see paying hundreds of dollars to take the kids away from home where they don’t even see the kids from their party. However, this is me and many other parents do this, I don’t think it is right to criticize or critique just because it isn’t what I would do.
done rant now π
Gorilla Bananas says
The only bad thing I saw come from that party is that I made the cake myself and the icing created a lovely purple poo that made me think my child had some kind of wierd disorder!
There’s nothing wrong with that. We gorillas poop all the colors of the rainbow because our diets.
Chris says
Great post, Crunchy, Mommyblogs can be a scary place.
Have you ever read Violent Acres? You don’t strike me as easily offended so you might appreciate her thoughts on the ‘elite’ mommy bloggers π
empress bee (of the high sea) says
oh my word, a great rant honey! loved it. don’t understand what is going on, but i don’t have to, i’m old, remember? ha ha
i remember my daughter wouldn’t let her boys play with toy guns and we went out one day and they were shooting each other with sticks, so she gave it up and let me buy them some proper cap pistols to have a little fun with, and water guns too. that’s all i’ve got….
smiles, bee
Christina says
While I certainly don’t want my daughter having everything branded, I don’t mind a little bit of it, if it is something she really likes. We had a Wiggles cake for her birthday this year, and she loved it. She has a few Dora toys, although even with her obsession with Dora, her favorite toys are still her plastic cups.
And yeah, some mom bloggers can be limited. I try to read a lot of different bloggers, including a few who I love as writers but dislike their political views. I have real-life friends like that as well – a bunch of people just like me would be boring.
SQT says
The branding thing is tough. My daughter loves Barbie but I draw the line at Bratz. I just can’t handle the idea of my daughter looking like that someday.
There really is no avoiding it. The kids are exposed to it everywhere; school, TV, you name it. The best I think we can do is try to instill in our kids decent morals and good work ethic. My kids will not be handed everything on a silver platter. I would be even more horrified if my kid turned into Paris Hilton than if she modeled herself after every one of those Bratz dolls. In fact, I’m more frightened of the evil Paris, Brittney and Lindsay trifeta that’s on the news everyday. They are going to cause the end of the world, I just know it.