Erin posted a link to an article about the commercialization of parenting. Given that our retailers commercialize every holiday possible, this should not be too surprising. I can not agree more with the article. Parents tend to go overboard these days. Crib bedding sets from $50 to $500. Sure, they are cute, but not really necessary since blankets and bumpers are not recommended. My favorite ridiculous item are sleep positioners designed "for greater air circulation and proper sleep position. It helps keep sleeping infants on their backs ...." Ummm... OK. Except when babies are able to turn over on their own, it is all right to let them do so! Last summer we were at an art fair and Ella was in a $10 umbrella stroller sitting next to a kid in an $800 Bugaboo FROG Stroller. So far Ella does not seem any worse for having the cheap stroller.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
"Playgrounds are just as cut-throat as boardrooms..."
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3 Thoughts From Others:
Parenting has gotten severely distorted - I always enjoy reading the articles you find and nodding my head in agreement. And it's nice to see - even second-hand - that we are more similar than dissimilar - including our percieved parenting styles. I can't even remember the last baby toy I bought. She's happy with wodden blocks, crayons and paper!
Renee, I would agree -- we are very similar, have quite a few common interests (other than a certain 8 yr old), and raise/run our families pretty much the same. If we had met in any other circumstance, I'm sure we would have hit it off immediately. We're just taking the long road around, but that's OK!
The baby/kid industry seems a lot like the wedding industry. There's a lot of pressure to spend spend spend because "it's your special day!" or "doesn't your child deserve the best?!"
I like articles that poke holes in that kind of thinking.
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