i dont think i explained this very well to ds (6)

[IAmBooyhoo]

ds is learning to read and saw that i was eating 'man crisps' (mccoys has this in large writing on the back of the packet).

he asked why those crisps were only for men. i didn't want to tell him that it was mccoys' idea of a joke because i dont want him thinking that jokes like that are ok. i told him they weren't only for men they were for everyone. and that to only allow men to eat them would be sexist and wrong. he then asked what sexist was and i explained that sexist meant saying something was ok for boys but not girls or ok for girls but not boys.
the thing is i am so completely crap at articulating what i actually want to say and i worry that i will confuse him even more. he doesn't understand why a packet of crisps says something that isn't true.

[KRITIQ]

It sounds like you did a pretty good job on the fly though! What's the deal with mansize tissues as well? Their noses aren't THAT much bigger than women's, honestly.

The other thing is to avoid buying any products that are labelled like this. Of course he'll still see advertising for them and other people using them. Perhaps one idea would be to say that there are some people who believe there are certain things women and men, girls and boys, older people and younger people, etc. should and shouldn't do, but often that's because they are scared to be different? I'm really not sure. I think when I was 6 I was already questioning stuff like this, so would have understood. Mind you, I don't think back then there WERE so many products using that "men only" or "women only" marketing pitch in quite such an obvious way.

[PurpleRomanesco]

I think you handled it perfectly. :)

[IAmBooyhoo]

thank you both.

unfortunately it isn't possible to stop buying mccoys crisps. that is just not an option . i could of course cover the sexist parts while i binge.

i think it must be "lets keep mum on her toes" day as he argued with me in asda that the scooter i bought for his female friend was for boys and we couldn't buy it. (it is silver with green on it)

[PurpleRomanesco]

DS is 4 and only started having problems with "girls" things since he started nursery. For now I make the issue out to be as ridiculous wearing his underwear on his head.

He's starting agree that it just doesn't make sense for him not to play with something because it's pink.