AIBU to let my 12 year old son wear a dinosaur tshirt

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My dh thinks I shouldn't be buying him any more jurassic park t-shirts. Reckons he'd get bullied. I asked what he should be wearing then? Fred Perry or something similar he suggested. To be clear, ds chose the t-shirt, I didn't just get it. What do you think? I said if he thinks ds would get bullied then perhaps he was the sort of child who would have done the bullying! I guess I'm asking AIBU in allowing ds to wear what he wants and not what others expect?

I think your son will be fine in a jurassic park t shirt!
I would totally wear that and I'm a fully grown up woman!

Your DH wanting to encourage your DS to be a label loving sheep says a lot about his own insecurities. Ignore him and let your DS be his own 'man' and wear what he wants.

I seriously hope my son takes after me and his dad as neither of us give two hoots about clothes or brands or anything like that. Never have. We always look nice and smart but it's always high street or supermarket not brands. I can't justify spending so much on clothes.

The T-shirt seems fine to me, and agree that Fred Perry is def not seen as cool 'round here.
But I think that people are piling on the virtue-signalling with the major criticism of the DH. He's just worrying about his son and wanting to make life easy for him. I still wince today when remembering an incident age 12 - almost 30 years ago now - when I was the only person to turn up to a mufti day at school in trainers and every other girl in the class was in DM Boots. I felt utterly mortified. I didn't get bullied but I remember like it was yesterday that horrified feeling when I realised that I looked very different . . . . . few 12 year olds want to look very different. Mine doesn't. I didn't. Maybe DH thinks his son wouldn't want to either - is he overthinking it? perhaps. Is that better than not thinking about how your children feel? Yes.

My Ds is 12 and at a none uniform school . He wouldn’t wear it’s he feels he has grown out of that kind of things. I can say though he rarely is interested in what others wear . I don’t think it’s such is a huge issue at 12

My son does wear a combination of brands and unbranded.

I think kids that are targeted by bullies would be ( not condoning in anyway ) I think they would find something .

It really must vary from area to area as both my ds 16 &14 have had Fred Perry t shirts at some point. They have also had other brands too. I live near Glasgow and in most schools where I live it is all about the labels. I would love my children to be confident enough not to care but it really is peer pressure.

My DH wears Star Wars t-shirts and he's 44!
He's also got one with a dinosaur playing football.
Fred Perry shirts just look like overpriced school uniform tees especially on skinny teenagers
Jurassic Park is just fine especially if you are 12
My 11yo has a mix of sharks, surfing, slogans, Star Wars and football t-shirts

My DS is nearly 13 and he loves dinosaurs, minecraft and other things like that on his t-shirts.

As for the second poster who says her 8 year old is moving onto brand named stuff, get a grip! Seriously, unless you've got money to burn, that's a move you will love to regret!

Let him wear what he wants

Let him wear what he wants ☺️

Jurassic Park is SO much cooler than Fred Perry and the likes!

@MaryShelley1818

I totally agree!

I don't actually think your DH is worried your son is going to get bullied. I think your DH just wants to mould your son in his own image and have a son who dresses in the brands your DH likes, rather than a son who wears stuff your DH (incorrectly, clearly!) perceives as geeky or childish.

Loads of kids/teens wear stuff like Jurassic Park t-shirts. Primark is full of movie t-shirts etc at the moment and loads of kids and teens buy them. Not all kids, or adults, like labelled stuff. I have one nephew who is obsessed with labels and one who wouldn't be seen dead in them. Assuming your son is actually asking for the Jurassic Park stuff, let him keep on wearing it.

I don't actually think your DH is worried your son is going to get bullied. I think your DH just wants to mould your son in his own image and have a son who dresses in thebrands your DH likes, rather than a son who wears stuff your DH (incorrectly, clearly!) perceives as geeky or childish.

This crossed my mind too. Just a possibility.

I'm not 43 and have a fine collection of dinosaur t-shirts (and two dresses!).

My sons wardrobe is full of dinosaur t shirts- he is 12, autistic and has loved dinosaurs since he was 18 months old! He has never had anyone comment on his dinosaur t shirts- although in fairness he is home educated.

Let him wear it, I’m 31 and own a jurassic park t-shirt.

My son is 18 and wears both Tommy Hilfiger and Pokemon!

@FannyFeatures. Yip, lots of people were in debt to provide their kids the latest gear (catalogues etc). And honestly, if I thought it would stop my child being bullied, id do the same

Pfffffft.

My mate has this cartoonems.teemill.co.uk/product/utahraptor-robot/ because he's 43 and he can buy what he wants.

You are NEVER too old for dinosaurs on teeshirts.

@NotTheMrMenAgain is it the run and fly dinosaur dress? I have that. My favourite thing ever (along with the space dress 😍)

Thank you wingsandstrings that's exactly what dh meant. He isn't a label follower at all himself, he's just looking out for the boy!

What sane parent would be encouraging their kid into the nonsense that is brands?

My uncle haha, probably not sane, loves his brands - Ralph Lauren, Hugo boss, Burberry, Lacoste, Hilfiger etc, we've got many the photo in the album of his two primary ages sons wearing matching branded outfits. While I don't agree with spending that much money on kids clothes, or any clothes really, they did look good. But you don't need designer labels to look good.

In all honesty, your DS probably knows what is/isn't going to get him bullied more readily than you DH does. If he's chosen the t-shirt, he's likely to be comfortable wearing it.

Our DS (12) has his own style, which isn't always conventional. In the past, we have been known to suggest he "tone it down", but he's happy, and he likes what he likes. He's never been bullied for his clothes (he's been bullied for other things, but never his clothes), and a fair few of his friends have tried to emulate his style.
Of course your DH is worried about bullying. As parents, we all are to some extent or another, but hopefully your DS is confident in his dress sense and will rise above IF anyone says anything.

All the cool people would wear a dinosaur t-shirt. If DS is happy in it, that is the important thing.