Strollerderby

I dunno that it's that big a deal. It's a little precious, I guess, but the kid doesn't care what she's wearing -- she'd prefer nothing at all, probably, but a Hillary face (gift from my mom) isn't going to bother her.

I really don't see how a kid under 12 (and then some) is equipped to make individual political or religious decisions.

Holding up kids wearing political/religious shirts or holding signs -- or even reciting pablum, under the "mouths of babes" premise -- as some sort of political argument or evidence is nothing but pure demagoguery. Personally, I'm inclined to oppose a movement that thinks forcing their children to take on political/religious positions, which have been steadily fed to them by their parents, furthers their cause. No, it makes me feel sorry for the kids, who are not being taught to think for themselves, but being thrown into the intoxication of group mentality.

There's a locally notorious family in my town (they recently made national news) which regularly parades their late-teenage daughter, who clearly has never been trained to think differently from her parents, for their own sociopolitical purposes. It scares me what sort of family manages to produce such blind loyalty in their offspring. Ideological adornment is part and parcel with indoctrination.

K makes some interesting points, which coincide interestingly with one of Steve Almond's recent blogs. What actions constitute setting a good example for your child--attending political rallies or meetings with kids in tow, to demonstrate that when one has a belief, one should stand up for it? Is attending a political rally different from attending church? And where does it become, as K says, "reciting pablum," or evidence that the kid has been trained and is doing it not because it reflects his or her own beliefs, but because he or she wants to make Mom and Pop happy?

And are we more or less offended by the kids-with-adult-message t-shirts when we agree with the sentiment? Is my kid's liberal themed shirt "cutely ironic" while someone  else's kid's conservative message shirt "brainwashing"? Or vice versa? And how hypocritical is that?

My children will know what my beliefs are, and if they disagree with me and can intelligently discuss why, I will honor their different ideas. For me, that's one facet of unconditional love, which parents owe their kids.

And so far, I have resisted the urge to buy tshirts for my kids which reflect only my taste (the Ramones onesie, etc.) True, my 4 month old would be oblivious, but maybe such a purchase would reflect more about me than just my musical taste.

Good point, nancyt. I wonder how many around here would find something like this merely "cutely ironic":

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/republican/-/pv_design_prod/p_storeid.13514201/pNo_13514201/id_5252750/opt_/pg_/c_/fpt_

I'm against putting political slogans on kids. When I was a kid my fervently religious parents gave me a sign and took me out to picket a movie they found offensive. At the time I didn't know what the heck was going on, and now I feel like it was exploitative. When I was old enough to form my own opinions about things, my opinion was more or less the opposite of theirs.

I hope that my child shares my values, and I will certainly tell her what I believe and why, but it's more important to me that she's able to think critically, even if we don't always agree.

I find it annoying. Maybe not for babies so much as for older kids. Personally, I would never dress my kid in anything political, but I also will not buy t-shirts, jammies, etc that explicitly advertise anything, including cartoons. When my son wanted a BatMan backpack I made him save fot it - of course, he's sneaky and talked his grandparents into buying it behind my back....

The cartoons i just find tacky and since we don't watch TV at our house, my kid usually has no clue what he's actually endorsing (he has NEVER seen Batman, but he knows that one of his friends think it is cool). (and before any one lashes out at me - my kid does see movies occassionally and he watches TV at other people's homes so he isn't unreasonable isolated from his culture - don't worry!)

I've always been annoyed when young kids support political causes with no understanding of what it is that they support. It even annoys me that 6 yr olds are made to say the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools with no discussion of what it actually means.

I agree with you, Karen, that until they're old enough to know better and be picky and scream and cry and throw a fit over the color, it's OK. My personal opinion is that dressing your kid in a Weezer onesie or a Pro-Peta shirt is no different than putting your kid in a Disney character adorned onesie. Honestly, how do you know how the kid feels about Tinkerbell or Captain Drunk Pirate? You don't, but you think it's cute or you like that character/style/color, so that's what you dress your kid in.

I am against all children's clothing that promote adult issues. Like Rachel said it, it's exploiting children to promote parents' attitudes or opinions.

Children should be allowed to be children, and I don't think it's appropriate to have your baby or child to wear a political campaigning shirt, or beer ad or adult joke.

I'm with K here - children should be taught to think and make their own opinions, instead of parents forcing down their own believes.

I grew up in a smaller town, with wonderful parents. Traditional values, but very fun and witty  people.  It wasnt until I got older that I could answer the question about "are your parents republican/democrat?" for my friends.   I had no clue.  I also had no clue about what was going on  in the world.  Public school is seriously lacking in the history and civics and economics departments.   Pair that with parents who didnt really teach us politics and I was a screwed 20 year old.  

I had to learn about the world from friends, reading, watching, community.  

My sisters and I wonder how we can be so far off from our parents. They just never explained things to us. Sexuality...politcs....drugs.....you name it.

My point to this is that my little girl will never wonder how i feel about the government, or ANYTHING else. It will be obvious Im a (as my mother calls it) bleeding heart liberal.  My babe can make her own decisions about religion and political beliefs, and because im choosing to raise her aware of community and her world, and im encouraging her to stand up and be strong for what she believes in...I dont think she will turn out "brainwashed" or anything, because of a onesie.  Not that I own any, but its the idea behind it.  

I don't see the harm in putting anything on a t-shirt. Lets worry more about what we put in their mouths and in their thoughts.

When I was 8 or so, I was vacationing with a friend's family. We saw a car with a Reagan sticker and I said "we should let the air out of their tires!" The mom asked "Do you want to do that to our car? We voted for Reagan." I felt terrible. My parents never hid their political views, and it never occurred to me that someone I liked and respected could have a different opinion than my parents. I don't know how I'll handle things with my own kiddo (too young to have political opinions yet), but I don't want her, in youthful carelessness or zeal, to hurt someone who cares for her or alienate a friend.