BIG NEWS today protecting children from padded bras and sexy pop videos. Is it a real problem?

[ScousyFogarty]

CHANNE 4 TV did the problem well a few weeks back. Forced some stores to take things off the shelves.

Do you parents find it a major problem, minor probelm or no problem at all?

I prefer children not to grow up too quickly; but the genie is out of the bottle. They do now grow up quickly. Can the clock be turned back?

It was certainly different when I was a child.

[GypsyMoth]

minor.....after all its not the children who hold the purchasing power.....unless the feckless parents let them!!

also,the padded bra for 9 year olds,which was mentioned onm my local news......fgs!! some girls of 9 DO need bras these days! but hey,demonise THAT as well eh!?

[ScousyFogarty]

Some people do think the concern is overstated, Tiffany.

But pop videos and all there may be a sort of problem. Cameron is going with it because it gets a lot of easy publicity for HMG

Big business, stores etc, are very powerful and they do target children.

[LadyOfTheCuntryManor]

Some 9 year olds need bras. Yes. Training bras, not bras designed by Katie Price with padding and "up lift".

Some 9 year olds need tops. Tops without slogans on saying "sexy" or "69".

The shops were right to have to pull their stock. Yes parents purchase these kind of things, but they are being marketed to children.

[Fecklessdizzy]

Neither of my boys has demanded one yet but if they did I'd insist they used their own money ...

Seriously though, hugely tacky but just say no!

Kids ask for all kinds of mad grot because they've seen it on TV or all their friends have six or whatever ... It doesn't need legislation, just a bit of backbone ... Explain why it's crap and move on.

[GypsyMoth]

i havent seen Katie price bras for 9 year olds.....and what 'parent' would buy them? is there a link for that lady? am interested....

marketed to children? dont buy then...simple

[ScousyFogarty]

I sort of agree, but it is the sort of issue the media will run with; again and again and againn Channel 4 TV did it well some weeks ago.

[slartybartfast]

m & s sold my dd her first bra, aged 11 and it was padded
the woman reckoned it had more support

[GypsyMoth]

padded is more comfortable for developing,sore nipples.....keeps them hidden. girls are embarassed enough,without nipples on show too

some girls develop early...and quickly...

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I'm with Feckless and Tiffany... this neo-Mary Whitehouse trend is bizarre and concerning. OK, put age certs on pop videos the same way films and computer games are age-rated. But those that don't care will continue to let their children watch, or the children will hunt them down on You-Tube where watersheds and age ratings are irrelevant. We tried to ban junk food in schools and parents fed their kids burgers through the railings. We can't legislate either good taste or good parenting.

[GypsyMoth]

we are talking light padding.....not cleavage enhancing

any links to these deviant bra's.....katie price childrens range lady,where??

[slartybartfast]

oh thanks tiffany.
i was rather surprised, she was chuffed as all her friends, have padded bras.

[slartybartfast]

well channel 4 sat mornign tv had a really raunchy jesse james video

so they should perhaps eat their words.

[StellaSays]

I actually have no problem with padded bras as long as there are boobs of some sort to go in them. The bras on the c4 programme were padded but had no uplift or whatever. I hate cloth bras and will only wear padded ones ever since I was first in bras since it stops my nipples sticking out, gives a slightly better shape and protects them better. The protecting part is important for young girls especially when they are 'budding' since I can remember knocks on young breasts being very painful!

[thingsabeachanging]

I think the saddest bit of it all is that shops make money off this stuff. If parents didn't buy it there would be no money to make. It is a very sad reflection on society that enough parents think it acceptable to buy children stuff emblazoned with "porn star" to make it profitable!

[pointissima]

Good article by Libby Purves in the "Times" today about how all this is symptomatic of a broader problem: that the cult of the WAG and acceptability of porn has increased pressure on women generally to look "hot".

[catwhiskers10]

I'm not sure if the clock can be turned back. It's a bit like 1950s parents being shocked at Elvis' 'inappropriate' hip swinging and 1980s songs like 'Je T'aime being banned on radio. We just laugh at things like that now but at the time it was a big thing.
My DD is only 15 months so I have a bit to go before 'growing up too fast' becomes a real problem. I often see things in everyday life that I don't want DD to see/experience as she grows up - raunchy pop videos, 'lads' magazines with topless celebs, the vast range of clothing with 'sexy' undertones...etc.
I think as parents we can try to shield our children from such things (you don't have to buy inappropriate clothes for eg) but they have become so ingrained into everyday life that I can't see things going back to the way they were when we were children. It may be that we have to accept that this is the 'future' and bring our children up as best we can in the circumstances like previous generations before us have done.

[fatlazymummy]

I have no problem whatsoever with padded bras for young girls, as long as they are not of the 'wonderbra' variety.
I have never seen tops for children with 'sexy' or '69' on them and I certainly wouldn't buy them. In fact I wouldn't buy anything like this for myself either.
I also have no difficulty finding clothes that I think are suitable for my daughter. I have no problem with her wearing crop tops, glitter or shoes with small heels on [she is 11 now] and actually I find this whole campaign rather annoying.
I saw part of the programme on channel 4 and found it patronising and condescending.

[CrapolaDeVille]

Fat....Why would a young girl need a padded bra?

[GypsyMoth]

crapola,its already been mentioned. developing breasts are bloody painful!!! i remember it well

[SardineQueen]

This is the mothers union report, yes?

I find it interesting that the what's on sale in the shops thing is what the media have picked up on, rather than the other recommendations which are all really good. The shops thing - the arguments on here more or less sum up my thoughts. There is no point getting outraged that girls need bras IYSWIM. Tops with 69 on are few and far between (I have never seen one). The recommendations about the watershed and ofcom and lads mags and so on are all good though I think.

[WorzselMummage]

Padded bras a less of a concern to me than porn pop videos.

Some young girls could need some light padding in their bras.. I did, I have big boobs and hate people being able to see my nipples though my clothes so I have always gone for bras with sculpted cups.

I have no problem raunchy pop videos but tbh I have no idea why people let their children watch them. I've been to 6 year olds parties where the invitees have been impersonating Lady GaGa and dancing like little soft porn actresses. I think their parents must have had a lobotomy to be letting them watch and it makes me feel a bit ill but all the legislation in the world won't stop there being shit parents who don't care what there children have access too.

[GypsyMoth]

there are no links,so no idea what its referring to!

[fatlazymummy]

crapola it's already been explained several times. I mean padded in the sense of thick material to hide and protect the nipples.
I have never seen any other type [other than the vest variety] in the children's section. Of course there is nothing to stop a teenager from buying a wonder type bra once she is big enough to fit the smallest size.

[WorzselMummage]

And... There was a top in Primark a couple of years ago for 2 year olds with Future Wag on it.



That's the kind of thing that should be clamped down on, not bras for children who actually need them!

[GypsyMoth]

the videos are more of a problem i agree!!

my dc have ipod touch's.......how the hell do you put parental controls on them?

my ds is almost 13 and had done a search on 'pawn'....he hadnt got far,but it was in the history,along with 'cheryl cole with no clothes on',he's 13 so got a budding interest,but the hard core stuff is on there just waiting for him to learn to spell/find it!!!