Her daughter was teased for not wearing designer clothes. But now mother Elin Pettersson is roaring from her Facebook page, urging all parents to just let children be children. “My daughter should not have to hear (or say to others) that she is too fat, wear a bra before even having breasts or wear certain clothes to fit in,” she writes. Her post has been shared over 22,000 times. If you agree with Elin, share it too!
Here is the complete Facebook post:
Ok. Now I’m pissed! It’s time to STOP!
My daughter (who recently turned 9) comes home from school, crying and says: “Mom, I get teased in school because I don’t have designer clothes!
I thought: “But honey, you do — see, it says H&M right there!”
But I held my tongue. Because she is in second grade and shouldn’t have the faintest clue about how we adults also judge/condemn/assess other adults on what they’re wearing, their appearance, color, body, status, car, and standard of living.
My daughter is nine years old. Her brain should be used to play and have fun. She’s just learned to sit reasonably still for a whole class and perhaps even get a little done during her lesson as well.
My daughter should not have to hear (or say to others) that she is too fat, wear a bra before even having breasts or wear certain clothes to fit in. But that time is approaching quickly.
But I refuse to believe that it already has. I refuse and do not want to believe that we as adults, parents and guardians, have sunk so low, that we have already implanted our superficial values and views into our children’s heads. That we really believe as parents that our children feel better knowing that their new jacket cost $150 and was purchased at a luxury boutique, or that their pants cost $100, and are a French design. OR that we believe our children feel better by pretending to be adults with fake boobs and bras OR get to hear that mom is too fat for her new tight jeans.
My children should be able to play just as happily in second-hand clothes as they would in designer clothes. They get just as dirty after a day outdoors anyway. My daughter will wear a bra when she has breasts. And thighs, yes they shake when you run.
I’m begging- I want us as adults, parents and guardians to together decide to let our kids be kids for a while. Can’t we not just get together and simply say STOPP! It’s enough.
STOP the prejudice, exclusion and superficial fixations.
Can we not, for just a few years more of their precious lives, allow all children to ‘fit in’?
So I replied: “Honey, what are designer clothes?”
She answered: “I don’t know.”
See the mother’s original FB post here (in Swedish).
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