Little girl in beautiful dress scolded for jumping up and down.

[0None0]

They were at the bus stop. She was about 5 It was a beautiful white dress with embroidery, and matching shoes She had a carton of juice, and was told off for a little skip of pleasure at the sight of their bus coming, in case the juice splashed on her dress or her shoes. Brother that looked the same age, maybe twins, or just very small age gap, in dark clothes and trainers, also drinking a carton of juice with a straw, leaping up and down like a show jumper, without attracting comment.

WIBU to say something?

It's it sexist to assume a mother is being sexist towards her children after a 10 second appraisal of her child management?

Isn't

YABU. Obviously juice spilling onto a white dress is more of a problem than the same juice spilling onto darker clothes. The question is why was the girl in a white dress? But you have no idea about that. Maybe she loves that dress and begged to wear it despite Mum's warnings that if she wore it she couldn't have juice because it would spill. The she begged for juice and Mum gave her some but made her promise to be careful. Maybe she's going to be a flower girl in a wedding or some other event where she, but not her brother, needs to look nice for pictures. Maybe the brother is just more coordinated, or maybe the girl has a motor control issue that makes her more likely to spill the juice. Maybe lots of things. None of it has anything to do with you.

Not up to you to say Something.
Could have been a special occasion, the little girl begged for the dress. Mum said no it’s too white you still stain it. She insisted mum said so long as you keep it clean until you get there.
She could be allowed to roll in the mud most days with a cheap tracksuit on running care free.
Perhaps this was parents teaching her about choices - choose something less practical and it restricts what you can do.

Not up to you to say anything at all.

None of ,your business. Parent your own children.

Huh?

Absolutely baffled by this one.

This is just one example of the way girls are physically restricted by their clothing. I’ve always put my girls in trousers and comfy shoes/ trainers so they can be as free as boys are to exist in the world.

What would you have done if you'd said something and the child's mother had gone full fish wife on you?

@zoemum2006

This is just one example of the way girls are physically restricted by their clothing. I’ve always put my girls in trousers and comfy shoes/ trainers so they can be as free as boys are to exist in the world.

You have no idea why this girl was wearing a dress and shock, horror she might have actually wanted to wear one 🙄

@0None0 I am in the minority according to the poll results, as I agree that it's a bit shit for a little child to be yelled at for just skipping with fun. The mother sounds like Rose's mother from Titanic.

I wouldn't have said anything, but YANBU to feel saddened by it.

It’s not illogical to think that a white, embroidered dress will be more of a bugger to get juice stains out of.

Yanbu I had to tell my sister to stop being a dick when she shouted at my 7 year old nephew for going near mud in brand new trainers on our planned walk in the countryside. I didn't actually say dick but that's the jist

@zoemum2006

This is just one example of the way girls are physically restricted by their clothing. I’ve always put my girls in trousers and comfy shoes/ trainers so they can be as free as boys are to exist in the world.

Women in India play tennis and perform open heart surgery in saris (essentially dresses). Women where I’m from went to war in similar. No harm in girly clothing. As long as it’s not stupidly tight or god forbid pocketless. Or designed so that you need to take the whole thing off to pee.

@zoemum2006

This is just one example of the way girls are physically restricted by their clothing. I’ve always put my girls in trousers and comfy shoes/ trainers so they can be as free as boys are to exist in the world.

Boys clothing can be rather restricting, not to mention warm too!

I am totally against the conditioning of children to conform to gender stereotypes, but we can also read far too much into a little girl wearing a dress.

They can parent their own child without input from you.

I would judge a little too...probably wouldn't say anything though. They could be on their way to a wedding/party.

It's funny how it's always the girls in the pretty, light-coloured expensive outfits that mean they're not allowed to climb trees or grub around in the dirt. Clearly not all girls but, if there is a child being told to be careful of their clothes at the playground, it's usually a girl.

@HollysBush

That’s sad but I wouldn’t say anything. Maybe she was on her way to a photo shoot?

Sad because the mother doesn't want to ruin an item of clothing she paid for? I would tell my child to stop jumping, boy or girl, anyone would

Apart from anything else, do you think you saying anything would have made the slightest bit of difference to how that woman parented in the future, OP? Let alone whether it affected other girls and women going forward.

Also the little girl and her brother would have been embarrassed and uncomfortable if an animated discussion with a stranger (and their mother being criticised) had arisen from their behaviour. They'd blame themselves and that's a shitty thing to do to a child.

What difference do you think you saying something would make? At best you'd have a clearer idea of what the situation actually was (although why you'd need that I don't know!), at worst you'd have upset / annoyed the family with your comment. Perhaps channel your feelings about gender inequality into to something more useful.

None of your business. It's that simple really.

You sound pretty judgemental to be honest. You witnessed a small snapshot of that parents say and decided it was sexist.

@SlothinSpirit

I would judge a little too...probably wouldn't say anything though. They could be on their way to a wedding/party.

It's funny how it's always the girls in the pretty, light-coloured expensive outfits that mean they're not allowed to climb trees or grub around in the dirt. Clearly not all girls but, if there is a child being told to be careful of their clothes at the playground, it's usually a girl.

What I find funny is the lack of logic on the part of parents. Who puts girls in pretty clothes for the playground?

But then again maybe their daughter is the type who wouldn’t climb trees anyway even if she was in under armour’s best…

@BritWifeInUSA

You are not being unreasonable to be bothered by this. But you are absolutely being unreasonable to tell a random stranger how they should parent their children.

This.

This could not have been any less of your business. God people like you can ruin other people's motherhood experiences. I still remember the odd one here and there that butt into mine.

Why is this not everyone’s business?

Why would a parent disciplining their child be anyone's business so long as the child isn't being abused? You have absolutely no idea of the family's circumstances or what led up to this tiny snapshot of their lives.

What are you on about? I am sure I might have told off my dd for potentially spoiling a white dress. It is hardly child abuse. Mind your own business. You need a job or a hobby.