To think she's not 'sullen', she's just 8 months old.

[deemented]

My sister met my youngest daughter for the first time over the weekend. She's 8 months and because she didn't smile on command, apparently she's a sullen child. Forget the fact that my sister is a complete stranger to her, and she was surrounded by other strangers - my neice and two nephews as well as my Aunt, nope. She's sullen

Oh and my two year old will grow up not knowing if he's Arthur or Martha because he has long curly hair that i won't cut and likes to wear a pink hat. Apparently i will confuse him and he won't know which side he bats for.

I now remember why i live so far away from my family!

I had a comment that my ds should be 'made to stop hugging other boys, or he'll turn gay' (He cuddles his friends...not random people )

Yes because hugging is what makes some gay. I can't believe people STILL think things like. He is 5 and already being told that as a boy he shouldn't show affection to other boys.

Um and if he's going to be gay, he already is.

And even bigger than that, who cares if he is/isn't? I thought this was 2012.

rant over

I know GoldenGeek, it's heartbreaking and infuriating all at once. A mum told me recently that her 2 year old boy loves to help her clean - he gets a little cloth and copies whatever she does. So cute. When I told her how lovely that was, she said yes but 'everyone tells me I'm going to turn him gay'. So much wrong with that on so many levels, I have no idea where to begin!

Oh Lotta, that's tragic!! I actively encourage DS to help me out with cleaning and things, because let's face it, he needs to know how to do this stuff for when he's grown up. I'd encourage him to help DH out with cleaning too if DH ever did any!
It has to start somewhere - I'm not having him grow up thinking cleaning is "woman's work".

All this nonsense starts the moment they're born. How many times do new mums get asked "Is s/he good?" as if a newborn baby is behaving well or somehow morally superior because s/he's sleeping!

I had a funny one with DH's elderly grandfather and childfree brother both berating DD1 for not saying "thank you" for a present. They got quite cross with her (before I stepped in) ending with raised eyebrows and young people these days etc. She was about 15 months and wasnt talking at all I was

My dd was a miserable child till about one.
Rarely smiled, even at us.
The inlaws had a field day with her....