I was just glancing through some pictures on Facebook, and I was aghast at the amount of brand name labelling I'm seeing on kids.
It makes me stop and wonder... what does this teach our kids? Is that name on that $50 tee necessary in order to validate your child's importance? Existence? I've heard that argument. I've heard mothers say, "They have to have the right brand name clothes in order to even be considered cool."
Really? Is that the kind of persona or image you want your children to live up to? Brand name = cool. No brand name = uncool?
Thankfully, my kid goes to a school where just about anything goes. Yes, some kids have a few brand name hoodies, or tees -- Hollister, Lulu Lemon, Aeropostale are the big ones -- but if a kid shows up in any old name jeans and a sweater, no one really cares. Mind you, there are some kids who ONLY wear brand name, but they're not seen in any different light. Sometimes they're even called out on "wasting their money".
I'd like to think that my kids will be wearing what's comfortable, what they like, what they think looks good in the years to come. I'd like to think they will learn the value of money, the idea behind a "name". I'd like to think they will befriend others based on much more than their outward appearance or the clothes they are (or aren't) wearing.
Am I crazy in these thoughts? Am I setting my kids up to be "uncool"?
Do you know how early that crap starts? Disney wants to make my baby a rolling billboard for their characters. Brands are absolutely brilliant for making US pay to advertise for them.
ReplyDeleteDrives me crazy.
My kids can be uncool along with yours. ;)
I know. It's bizarre. I know I won't totally escape my child being a walking billboard from every brand, but I really hope I can raise them to see more than a label. I don't know if it'll be an easy task, but I'm sure gonna try!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting!