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AIBU?

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Original poster

Children wearing tails?

389 replies

ShepherdMoons · 12/09/2024 12:44

Dd's friend at drama club has recently started wearing a tail.She sometimes wears ears.It looks quite cute but I also find it a bit odd (they are 11).Dd hasn't asked to wear a tail (yet) but wondering if this might be her next question.I appreciate there's a bit of a trend for this at the moment and seems relatively harmless but I do find it odd.AIBU?

OP posts:
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8
TallulahBetty · 12/09/2024 13:30

INeedAnotherName · 12/09/2024 12:52

Eleven is too old for that kind of dressing up so wonder if they are becoming a furry. Not a good thing imo.

Too old to dress up like kids do, when still a kid? Are you ok?

Getitwright · 12/09/2024 13:29

Darwin must be rolling in his grave!

JaneJeffer · 12/09/2024 13:28

Christ Almighty! How are they allowed to do that at school? Absolutely ridiculous.

MugPlate · 12/09/2024 13:27

None of this would occur if we hadn’t moved from a play based childhood to a screen based childhood.

Lordofmyflies · 12/09/2024 13:26

Sounds like 'furry fetish'. My DD (then 18 yrs old) had a very difficult first year at Uni as one of her flatmates identified as a Cat in her halls and would put a litter tray in the communal bathroom. Honestly not making it up! It was really hard for the rest of the flatmates to do anything about it but eventually the 'furry' moved it into their bedroom after the accommodation manager got involved. Disturbing.

ButterAsADip · 12/09/2024 13:25

rainbowstardrops · 12/09/2024 13:14

Love this! If my children had said they want to identify as a cat, they would 100% be getting cat food for dinner!

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Yup and a litter tray.

Stopbeingawalkoverandwalk · 12/09/2024 13:24

Not only the cat food. Insist they get worming and flea treatments every month, sleep on the floor in the kitchen, and sent out to do a shit in the street/ garden in front of the neighbours like normal animals. You're either an animal or you aren't. It's binary.

nosmartphone · 12/09/2024 13:22

FooFighter99 · 12/09/2024 12:52

My DD12 (year8) wears a tail, ears and she has paws too (she wants a full fur-suit, but they're expensive!). She classes herself as a Furry/Therian - there's a whole community of them at school and online that she hangs out with

Yes it is a bit odd, but there's absolutely no harm in it

FFS. Seriously step up and actually parent. There's everything wrong with it; and yes, I do judge the parents, not necessarily the child.

Mimipoop · 12/09/2024 13:21

@garlicandsapphires it is an adult sexual fetish that has unfortunately now emigrated to children. It’s so wrong

notacooldad · 12/09/2024 13:21

I work in family support.
We've had a few kids like this at the same age. They would wear a collar and cats ears and a tail.
There's not much to say about it but irrationally annoyed the hell out of me that I was supposed to see past this nonsense and embrace it. I just played it cool and didn't encourage it.
If we were going on trips I would say ' oh cats can't come swimming , sorry' or ' I don't think they allow felines at the desert parlour' The tail, ears and collar soon came off then!

garlicandsapphires · 12/09/2024 13:20

But how is it a sexual fetish? how is children dressing up as cats etc connected to an adult fetish?

SpringleDingle · 12/09/2024 13:20

My daughter who is 13 and has ASD (attends mainstream school) likes her tails! She makes her own (and for friends) masks. She makes masks for any dress up opportunity so not all are fox / cat but takes her tail and mask out when she goes to play out in the fields near our house. She's also worn them shopping and to trampolining - I think they give her something to hide behind. She is very much a loaner. She will also only wear grunge type clothing. I think she is finding her identity and as long as she isn't embarassed I am fine with it. She doesn't think she is a cat. However I was a goth as a teen and young adult and my sister is still very goth in her styling. We are a heavily ND family so as long as one anothers choices aren't hurting anyone then we let them go.

rainbowstardrops · 12/09/2024 13:14

Mirren22 · 12/09/2024 12:52

Ask them if they want to eat cat food instead of pizza and chips

Love this! If my children had said they want to identify as a cat, they would 100% be getting cat food for dinner!

TheDandyLion · 12/09/2024 13:08

I used to wear a tail during my raving years several decades ago

HappierTimesAhead · 12/09/2024 13:06

SunnyHedgehog · 12/09/2024 12:58

Utter rubbish, I'm a teacher and I've got friends across 4 different secondary schools. Nothing like this is going on and we've certainly not had training on it.

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So you have dismissed it from happening anywhere because it doesn't happen in 5 schools that you are aware of?

FragileWookiee · 12/09/2024 13:06

Yep, there's a "cat" at the secondary school I work at. Wears a tail and ears. Other children get into trouble for not being in correct uniforms, while a young girl apparently believes she is a cat and is allowed to continue this behaviour at school. World's gone mad.

Mimipoop · 12/09/2024 13:04

It’s an adult sex fetish - appalling that this is being encouraged in children

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 12/09/2024 13:03

One of my daughters has a wolf in her class. I kid you not. She howls.

Furry / therian shit.

caramac04 · 12/09/2024 13:02

Mirren22 · 12/09/2024 12:52

Ask them if they want to eat cat food instead of pizza and chips

😂😂😂

Crystallizedring · 12/09/2024 13:00

I've not heard of this. Sounds completely ridiculous, don't encourage it whatever you do.

SunnyHedgehog · 12/09/2024 12:58

Sartre · 12/09/2024 12:54

Furry bollocks. Teachers actually have to have furry training now if you can believe it. There are kids literally crawling around meowing rather than talking because they identify as a cat. Wish I was kidding.

Utter rubbish, I'm a teacher and I've got friends across 4 different secondary schools. Nothing like this is going on and we've certainly not had training on it.

StrugglingGrief · 12/09/2024 12:56

Btw our school would have none of it!!

5475878237NC · 12/09/2024 12:56

Sartre · 12/09/2024 12:54

Furry bollocks. Teachers actually have to have furry training now if you can believe it. There are kids literally crawling around meowing rather than talking because they identify as a cat. Wish I was kidding.

Training? Wow. Don't know what to say!

StrugglingGrief · 12/09/2024 12:56

Is it this furry crap!

LostTheMarble · 12/09/2024 12:55

FooFighter99 · 12/09/2024 12:52

My DD12 (year8) wears a tail, ears and she has paws too (she wants a full fur-suit, but they're expensive!). She classes herself as a Furry/Therian - there's a whole community of them at school and online that she hangs out with

Yes it is a bit odd, but there's absolutely no harm in it

Really? No harm in an adult sexual fetish (which being a furry is)? It’s usually vulnerable autistic kids that get drawn into these type of social movements as well.