Comments

1
Wow, she's going to plan for her future and not just squirt out a bunch of sprogs and get the gub'ment to pay all the bills. Talk about 'acting white'.
2
kinda makes me wonder what's going on in that house - parents bitching about an older step-sibling throwing her life away on some dude? parents divorcing, and mom lamenting that she got hitched instead of employed? hm...
3
@ 1: please go back to you klan meetin' and sodomize your sister. i thought general grant taught you retarded hicks some manners.
4
Wow, a little girl whose not being taught to want to be an entitled little princess! Shame it's so rare, but still, it *warms my heart*.

@2, yeah, that could be, but I'd still categorize this under "results of good parenting".
5
@3 I believe 'acting white' is a term I heard hanging around black people. I just find it funny that it's used as an insult.
6
Mimicry: not as interesting as the people posting videos of their children on the internet think it is.
7
I wonder if she knows about this Facebook group of like-minded individuals?
8
That was truly heartbreaking. Her parents need to sort out their priorities.
9
@8, how is it heartbreaking? "I care if I do something that's special". Sounds like she's got good priorities to me.
10
@6, totally agree. @9, it's not charming to have your kids repeating back your jaded feelings based on disappointments in your own life. Childhood is a time for optimism. Life's not easy or always fun, but it's only fair to let the children discover that on their own.
11
@9 If she were an adult or even a teenager and she was of the opinion that she would want a career first, then that would be fine. But look at how young she is and at how she is expressing this view. As a parent I worry about what went on in her life to produce this result.
12
Really? I had these thoughts when I was younger. I wanted to be a businesswoman (I blame the 80s) and I never wanted to get married (I'm thankful for this one Mom). But I did have hope that there were still good men out there (even though Mom kept saying there were not). Kids are smart, she seems smart and I think she's going to be just fine! Go little girl!
13
@10, but wait -- so is this mimicry? Or is this child already "jaded" by what you assume are disappointments in her mother's life? Which one is it?

I honestly don't see any distress here. She's picked up an attitude that will serve her well in life. She wants to do something special before she gets married; she's obviously shaping up to be a very practical, determined little girl. She's also very articulate for her age. I have no worries for this kid.

I'm getting this feeling that if she said "I want to be a pwincess when I gwow up!" there'd be oohs and aahs. I just think this headstrong, non-crowd-pleasing attitude she has makes her more interesting.
14
SICK OF WM HUMPHREY ACTING LIKE AN OVER-STEREOTYPICAL GAY GUY.

This is SEATTLE. We have plenty of REAL gay guys here, THANKS.
15
I love it. Kid says she wants to be responsible and all the loons are up in arms. Explains why this country is so fucked up. Don't plan or be responsible and when you fuck up, expect the gub'ment to bail your ass out.

Don't expect to see this fine young woman in line for a hand out.
16
If she's really this jaded at 5 years old she's gonna be a real charmer during her teens or twenties....
17
How is this jaded? It would be better if she was dressed in a princess costume and told the camera she's waiting for Prince Charming? How do you think you create Bridezillas?

It sounds like she's going to grow up KNOWING there is more to life than waiting to marry someone. She's going to get smart, get a job and then get married.

I think she's one smart cookie.
18
Why it's kind of sad is because it's parents pounding opinions into a child's head who hasn't had a chance to form her own. It's not your job to make mini-me's. It's your job to raise children with the good sense and judgment to form their OWN opinions.

If this kid was parroting some other view like, "I don't believe in homosexuality" or "I don't think women should work outside the home" everyone would be up in arms. Just because she's our kind of parrot doesn't make it any more desirable.
19
@13, I think I said that the child was mimicking the jaded parent(s). And then I went to feel sad that the child was expressing these thoughts, rather than being allowed to express optimism.
20
@18: I repeat what other commenters said: So, princess fantasies, endless aisles of pink Barbies, constant socialization of girls and women to be deferential to men's desires coming from just about every media source you can name - none of these count as "pounding opinions into a child's head"?

Look, sure, it's almost certain she heard it from Mom (or whoever) and repeated it. But when we're five, we repeat what our parents say; it's just something five-year-olds do. Five-year-olds aren't famous for their ability to form nuanced, rational opinions. And I'd sure as hell rather have a five-year-old girl parrot that she wants to be self-sufficient when she grows up than parrot that she wants to marry a prince.

In time, she will become nuanced and rational like all older children eventually do, and my money is on the fact that she will be grateful all her life for the values her parents instilled in her when she was little - that she can be a self-sufficient, ass-kicking bitch in the best sense, working to do something special with her life, and that she doesn't have to apologize for shit about her aspirations.
21
@20: At five, I knew I was going to do something with the world. I was going to be an astronaut. I never thought I'd have to give up on a man to do it. It had never occurred to me that men existed who wouldn't want to support their wives in doing whatever they wanted. The idea that she's had to think through "I will have to lose out on a man and just find another one to be successful" is depressing on at least two levels. 1) She thinks that men won't be supportive of her getting a job if she marries one without one; 2) She thinks men are basically interchangeable, so losing out on one just means she'll go to the store and pick out another.

Both are views of the world I'm glad I didn't have as a kid. And no, I didn't want to be a princess or wear pink all the time. I didn't expect to marry "Prince Charming." I thought I'd meet someone who wanted a cool job, and I'd want a cool job and we'd both go out and find them together.

That's actually pretty much what my parents did.
22
@20, i think those count as pounding ideas into kids' heads. Nickolodean is really becoming the worst for that. The ads and shows are horrendous. Not that I let my kids watch TV.
23
"I'll just find another man!" is in no way, shape, or form an appropriate thought for a 5 year old.

@20 & @22 - Barbie princess crap is influencing kids. And if my kid spouted such nauseating crap, I'd be sure to direct her to some more suitable role models than princesses and barbies. However, fantasizing about being a princess, or a cop, or an astronaut is just that - fantasy. Normal, healthy behavior. Children who are raised properly recognize that make-believe is make-believe and that they'll have to work for what they want.

But like 21 said, you don't need to prime a little girl with the idea that men will disappoint her, not support her, and that you pick them up and put them down again like toys. These are adult ideas, and suitable possibilities to discuss with a teenager - not a child. There's instilling independence and then there's instilling shit attitudes - and this is solidly the latter.

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.