Parenting

I'm not sure how to word this, but while out today, I saw girls. These girls had smooth, shiny hair. They were wearing short shorts made by Hollister and skimpy tank tops meant to show off your breasts with leather flip-flops. These girls...they were like 8 years old. I felt like walking up to the mother and slapping her for letting her kids dress up like 17 year olds. I think that parents should be teaching their kids to grow up as KIDS and not as adults until they are ready. There's not too much to talk about except: Should parents be teaching their kids to be dressing like this at such a young age? This is my first topic so go easy on me.

The real question is why were checking out 8 year olds?

In all seriousness, it's personal opinion. The parents obviously trust their kids enough to let them go out like that and assume they can handle any situation that may come along. How is it really your place to say it's wrong?

It's almost never in anyone's place to tell someone else they're wrong. That kind of behavior is something that would attract pedophiles and give the wrong impression about someone as well.

GwJumpman said:

It's almost never in anyone's place to tell someone else they're wrong. That kind of behavior is something that would attract pedophiles and give the wrong impression about someone as well.

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True but thats like blaming a girl who wears revealing clothes for provoking being *****..they can't be responsible for the actions of other people.

However, I do think rather than dressing like adults that children should be encouraged to enjoy being children and not trying to act all grown up (even though they will still do that anyway). Tbh, I see no issue with short shorts and tank top in the summer.

I was just using those clothes as an example. I've seen my fair share of tight jeans and shirts and whatnot.

i dunno................ if i was the parent id like to at least show some control on what my kids wear. i mean i guess this is my dad speaking. yes there go years and years of living with him but i really do think that. i wouldnt mind of them wearing tank tops when outside on a hot day but if it is because those girls want to be sexy or something i dunno id like them to wear something else. so yeah in what context are they wearing those tanktops and those shorts. was it hot outside? did they want to be sexy? or do they just like those clothes. but if it is for any of those last 2 reasons id like them to wear something lets say less revealing. mostly because well i agree they are too young to be dressing up like that and also for the bigger reason of that well there are such things as pedophiles and sexual predators. they could like what they see and boom they are gone and the police have to intervine. now lets say they wear shorts but how short they are would have to be under my survailence. if they are mini shorts or whatever they are called then hell wait till they are 13-15 to allow them.

so since you people wont read all that id like to say im nuetral on the subject but a bit more leaning on the side that has to make the girls reveal less. mostly for reasons of worry like predators and pedophiles

Riddle said:

I don't think this behaviour should be encouraged, but it's really not that big a deal. If girls want to dress like that, why should I try to stop them? I think the bigger problem here is the pressure being put on girls by society to be sexy and good looking. Magazines, commercials, and tv shows show young girls that these unhealthily-skinny girls are sexy and puts a lot of social pressure on them to be sexy. Parents should tell girls that they are fine however they look, but the main issue is the media.

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I agree with this. A lot more pressure is put on today about looking sexy, being skinny and so forth by society in general. A parent can tell their children not to go out dressed in a certain way but do you think that will stop the child thinking they need to be sexy and skinny? A parent even saying they don't have to be won't work (ever been complimented by your parents? You don't really care if its about your appearance), these are pressures that are felt among friend and social groups. Becoming a teenager basically means for a while you'll care more about what the people in your school think about you more than your parents. The problem is this will of course reach children of younger ages: ever watched the disney channel lately? They sell appearance with attractive teen actresses and sell sex with the Jonas brothers (but their chasity rings keep the censors happy)

Parents of course can help but we need to stem the issue to begin with.

last time I checked that is the norm for any mainstream hipster kid of any age. Especially the flip flops. People here wear them year-round, despite our moderately cold winter. They love Hollister, too. Coincidentally, I hate them. But, I disgress...

Can you really chalk that up to an eight-year-old showing off her (lack of) curves instead of chalking up to style? I remember when I was a junior in HS, the whole thing with guys wearing girls' jeans and youth-medium t-shirts with flip flops and chucks or whatever had just blown up. If you dressed in anything else, you were either considered a wigger, a preppy nerd, or something else outlandish and totally related to whatever mainstream style that kids like to vainly associate with.

But back to the main question: Seriously, how can an eight-year-old be 'showing off' when one would assume she is about six years or so away from having anything to show off? And even then, isn't that more of a social stigma than it is anything else to begin with? Why is that something to complain about when all the boys will be wearing their sisters' jeans and a way-too-tight t-shirt in an effort to show off their male-bulge and what little actual muscle a 16-year old kid has?

I don't think this is okay, and it is why so many of our nations youth (mostly girls) have eating disorders, and other unhealthy results of constant dieting.

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Very true. Not only can it be bad physically, but in the long run: emotionally.

I think girls should dress more modest, and that we should stop making them feel like they need to look a certain way to be accepted. I think parents should step up against the media's pressure.

I have two sisters, both eight years old. One of them often dresses in my little brother's clothes, which are huge on her, while the other dresses like the girls she sees on tabloids. But, at the same time, she always cuts her hair when her mother wants her to(boy style short) and generally only cares what Mommy thinks about her hair. Her mother is a **** lesbian(Will edit if proper term needed) and dresses like a plumber, crack included. The reason I say that is that it may not always be the parent's influence that causes this but sometimes the parents neglect to teach any modesty.

I honestly feel that the parents should try to show their children, boys included, that their bodies aren't shows on Broadway. They can't parade around half naked just because they see it on TV, but allow them to keep some freedom in their choices. Let them be who they want, without being Madonna.

I say let girls be children: live without worrying about their physical appearance, make up, what they wear and so forth and they will grow into it naturally....yes the media has cause problems with this lately and some parents even encourage it themselves (strangely only mothers) and I think both parents and this whole beauty tabloid thing can help solve the problem.

Also, NukSuCao can you please refer to someone without being extremely homophobic: one, being a lesbian doesn't necessarily mean she'll fit a stereotype and if she does it doesn't mean its due to being a lesbian. Two, do you understand how insulting the word **** is?

“The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” - Malcolm X

As a young girl/boy you dream of growing up and becoming similar to your role model. The problem with today's society is that the media controls the world. The media puts out these skinny, "perfect"models that where basically no clothes half the time. As a reuslt these kids look up to these models and get the idea that they should dress up like that because they don't know better.

I believe as a parent you should have control over what your child wears. Yes I believe a child should be able to express themselves but to a certain degree.

The point here is that they were barely eight years, and that dress prolly wasn't appropriate for their age. I mean, Jumpman has a point. That would easily attract pedos. And if their parents allow them to dress like teens, then they might let them act like teens. We teens tend to go off on our own, which is okay, seeing as it helps prepare us for the real world. But if those little girls were to wander off without their parents, God knows what could happen.

So, all in all, those girls shouldn't have been allowed to dress like that until they were maaaaybe fourteen. I wouldn't have a problem with that. ;P (For the record I myself am 14.)

Bump. Come on Temp. Debaters don't be lazy.

Well, my views are parenting are a little different than most others. Methinks the question more relates to the amount of control parents have in their child's life. More control, they won't be dressing like sk@nks. Less, and this behavior could be possibly tolerated.

The simplest solution is just not to buy said clothes for any tweens/adolescents.

Somebody debate this.

Me and kazoo share the same opinions, soooo . . . .