Babies Aren't Dolls: 04/26/07
Having children is a huge but rewarding commitment. Most advice or comments I get about babies I ignore but there is one line of commentary that bugs me. It's along the lines of: "Oh the clothing for girl / boy babies are so much cuter than the clothing for boy / girl babies." I've heard the exact same comments for both my son and my daughter.

If I had wanted to play with tiny little clothing in cute color schemes, I would have gotten paper dolls! My son is not an action figure. Nor is my daughter a doll. I don't play dress up with them (unless they want to and need my help). Instead I dress them comfortably and appropriately for the weather and their activities.

Anyone who if foolish enough to think their cute little baby is going to be the living doll they want is in for a huge disappointment. Babies are messy. They are also people; small independently minded people. If they're like my two they don't like socks, don't like hats and prefer cotton, terry cloth and flannel over any of the stiffer and dressier materials.

rant | parenting | babies