<p>One of my friends was always told by his mom growing up that he was the favourite. At one point, he and his siblings got into a fight - because Mom had been saying that to all of them! </p>
<p>As for the “princess” and “hottie” shirts - eeeww. Seen them and hate them. I think those are also part of a trend that seems hell-bent on reversing feminism - we are supposed to be people, not objects! </p>
<p>No doubt that there are different family dynamics with big and small families - and it’s interesting to see how that plays out when our entire society shifts to smaller families.</p>
<p>aries >>> One of my friends was always told by his mom growing up that he was the favourite. At one point, he and his siblings got into a fight - because Mom had been saying that to all of them! <<<</p>
<p>yes!! LOL I think there was a Reader’s Digest story a long time ago which featured a dying mom who individually told each of her kids that he/she was the “favorite” – but don’t tell anyone!!!</p>
<p>aries >>>> As for the “princess” and “hottie” shirts - eeeww. Seen them and hate them. I think those are also part of a trend that seems hell-bent on reversing feminism - we are supposed to be people, not objects! <<<</p>
<p>I never thought about it being “reverse feminism” but I think you are RIGHT! It does objectify girls. some might argue that those short shorts with a big word across the fanny does the same thing. (I don’t hate those shorts so those who love them do not get your panties in a bunch and b**** at me for mentioning them!!) I’m just making a possible observation.</p>
<p>I just think that during my “day” (60s and 70s), girls just wouldn’t have worn shirts that say such things as: Hottie, Too Cute for YOU, Princess, etc. We just had more humility and were more “modest” about our attractiveness.</p>
<p>Thanks Momma Berurah! Now I can sleep well knowing that I am the favorite!! Which, I already knew I was! </p>
<p>And, YES, you can be MY favorite. With only boys around here, I am dying for some laundry other that BLUE and to be able to put a bow in someone’s hair!</p>
<p>That is one of the point of this thread. There are some dynamics “playing out” already and there will be more to come. I think some dynamics will be good, some neutral, and some not so good. I think that having such a conversation can help avoid some of the “not so good” dynamics.</p>
<p>One dynamic may be that there won’t be as many kids to share the care-taking of an elderly parent.</p>
Hey, thanks!!! It definitely feels GREAT to be SOMEONE’S favorite! :)</p>
<p>You really need to make a trip here…we’ve got lots of girly-colored stuff, curling irons, hair straighteners, lotions, sprays, glitter and gloss! And lots of girls to use 'em on! Of course, we balance that out with equal parts jock strap, boxers and after shave, so you’d feel right at home! I guess it never gets TOO out of balance around here!</p>
<p>~berurah, who is now officially jlauer’s favorite! Where’s my t-shirt??? </p>
<p>And one fab T Shirt that says, “JLauer’s Favorite!” </p>
<p>Now… because I’m your fav, I insist on being the one who takes care of you in your old age (see post 174). But, since I may be older than you, that may present a bit of a problem — but I’m willing to share my walker!</p>
Ooooooooooooooooooh, I picked a GREAT favorite!!! You are SWEET! And, probably NOT older than I…nope, I doubt it! Maybe we can special order a double walker??? :D</p>
<p>Jlauer95, I, too, get my feminist “hackles” up when I see these girls walking around in the clothes they do. I tell my daughter that under no circumstances will she be walking around looking like that. Its so undignified…and I often think of the word “objectify” that we used so often at our womens college in the 70’s…It seems as if feminism is completely gone. (not at my house!)</p>
Clothing-schmothing…I get MY feminist hackles up when I see women or girls let themselves be treated in a less-than-respectful way by guys. I honestly think too much is being made of such things as “vanity shirts” and surname changes or lack thereof. </p>
<p>My youngest D (11) likes the little vanity shirts, and I have no problem with her wearing them. She thinks they’re funny and cute. I don’t read into them…I just let her wear them, knowing full well that she, like my older D’s, will eventually think they’re kind of silly. Now, G-d HELP the guy who tries to treat ANY of my D’s like an object! That would be tolerated for about -3 seconds…NOT because I controlled their choice of clothing, but rather because they have observed for their entire lives HOW THEIR FATHER TREATS <em>ME</em> and my expectations in that regard.</p>
<p>Let’s get down to the real issues here…women/girls DO have control over these things. We just need to teach them how to assume it! :)</p>
<p>Aries writes: "True, BUT ‘more educated, liberal’ is, statistically, a contradiction - at least when you aggregate men and women. </p>
<p>“I’m not saying that liberals are less intelligent, but, statistically, conservatives make up more than half of people with college degrees. That’s a pretty good proxy for ‘educated.’”</p>
<p>That’s only part of the story. It has long been true that people are more likely to vote Republican the more education they have, up to the point of the bachelor’s degree. A solid majority of those with graduate degrees, however, vote Democratic.</p>
<p>I remember William F. Buckeley, Jr. joking about this phenomenon over thirty years ago, saying that it illustrated both the importance of receiving a good education, and the danger of receiving too much.</p>
</p>
</p>
I guess it never gets TOO out of balance around here!</p>
</p>