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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this is a hugely inappropriate thing to say to a young child??

54 replies

mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 20:31

In the space of about 2 weeks, I've heard two adults refere to children as sexy.
One woman said to her son of about 5 "come on then sexy pants" and another woman said to a girl of about 8 "this dress would suit you're sexy little figure".
I just find it really diturbing and really sad. I just don't know what the parents are thinking. Perhaps they don't know what to say to their children so say something silly, I don't know.
Is this just me being stiff, or are these parents a bit simple?

OP posts:
TsarChasm · 12/07/2009 20:33

Yeuch! I agree. YANBU!

Yurtgirl · 12/07/2009 20:34

I find this irksome too, although I have never heard an adult say it to a child myself

But a friends kids refer to their mum as sexy which I also find odd tbh - at 5 he doesnt know what it means but I just find it hearing a child of 5 talking in that way tbh

crazylizzy · 12/07/2009 20:35

YANBU, my SIL keeps calling my DD her "sexy baby girl". It makes me cringe. It's vile and incredibly inappropriate to refer to a child that way IMO

TigersChick · 12/07/2009 20:35

YANBU - totally inappropriate.

nancy75 · 12/07/2009 20:36

its vile and it make my skin crawl, bet they dress their daughters as baby tarts too. i hate it

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 20:38

"sexy baby girl" is sickening, I'd ask her why she calls her that, acctually I wouldn't in RL as I'm not the confrontational sort.

OP posts:
Sheeta · 12/07/2009 20:39

ew, wrong!

crazylizzy - i'd be having words with SIL!

Minshu · 12/07/2009 20:40

I agree - YANBU.

Ex-BIL wolf-whistled his DD when she was a toddler (she was dressing up, I seem to remember). I know it meant nothing, and no one else present batted an eyelid, but made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 20:42

The 8 year old in question was wearing skin tight jeans with high heals and hoop earings.
When I was 8 I was playing with barbies and wearing pinafores.

OP posts:
Greatfun · 12/07/2009 20:45

I loked round a nursery once and one of the nursery workers refereed to a one year old girl as 'sexy'.Said in the context of being friendly and jokey not serious. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. It was weird.

nancy75 · 12/07/2009 20:45

i know i sound like mary whitehouse, but shops shouldnt sell these clothes for kids, and parents should have the sense to not buy the stuff. it would be nice for our children to stay children

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 20:48

I don't blame you Greatfun. How disturbing!

They can't be right in the head surely?

OP posts:
laloue · 12/07/2009 20:53

icky...I work in a shop that sells (whispers) lelly kel'... a mum was in the other day wolf- whistling her little girl as she walked up and down the children's dept in them,(they didn't fit and we told her so), made me feel really icky (can't put my finger on the exact feeling).Yes, I know LKs are gross...

GentlyDoingIt · 12/07/2009 20:54

I don't like it either, but I have noticed that the word "sexy" is being used less often to mean "sexually exciting" and more often to just mean "exciting" or even just "interesting".

Seems to be used in marketing & promotions quite a bit. I've also had a friend tell me that the reason people weren't interested in me was because I didn't have "sexy problems like your sister's" and I knew exactly what she meant! (my problems are quite ordinary, whereas my sister's, which have nothing to do with sex, make for a good anecdote).

The "sexy little figure" quote in the OP is pretty repulsive, though.

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 20:54

My daughter is 4.5 but very tall and we have to buy an age 6. It is actually quite hard to find clothes in age 6 that arn't chavy or tarty. We have to go to the more expencive shops like monsoon or a beutique that sells mayoral, sarah-louise etc. I love retro at the moment.

OP posts:
LisaD1 · 12/07/2009 20:55

YANBU!

How any "normal" adult could refer to CHILD as sexy is beyond me! I am all for making my girls feel special, for example if they dress up I will say woo hoo look at you, you look lovely, or something like that but imo the word sexy does not belong in a childs
vocabulary!

I also agree that children should dress as children, my 9 year old wears nice clothes but they are age appropriate, there is no way my girls would get out the front door dressed up as mini adults.

katiestar · 12/07/2009 20:57

Gentlydoingit is right .Sexy just means attractive or appealing now.Was readuing yesterday about 'deaf' charities getting less money because not as sexy as other charities.

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 20:58

Yes, I wonder what will become of the 8 year old girl. What will she look like in 10 years time possibly annorexic.

OP posts:
GentlyDoingIt · 12/07/2009 20:58

mummyloveslucy same problem here - DD is 6 and she wears ages 8-9. So hard to find clothes that aren't high fashion, glittery or adult-like.

La Redoute, Gap and H&M usually have something, but it's getting harder all the time...

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 21:02

Oh I see Katiestar, That might explain why they say it, but it still makes my skin crawl though.
We live in the country and lead quite sheltered lives.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 21:06

Yes, I like those makes too. We have to travel miles to get to a city that sells them though. I also like TKmax, I've got some nice bargins from there over the years.

OP posts:
Boys2mam · 12/07/2009 21:09

I call both of my DS's 'sexy beasts' and have done since they were teeny. I'm not weird and its certainly not intended inappropriately, I just love them to bits and enjoy singing daft little dittys to them.

They love it....

stanausauruswrecks · 12/07/2009 21:12

I overheard a woman saying "Hello my sexy boy" to her son - He was all of 2 days old it's just wrong!

Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 21:17

I love my daughter to bits too but call her things like gorgeous girl, freckles, or Tink (short for Tinkabelle)
But that's just me. She is so pure and innocet, I'd feel strange calling her a sexy beast or simillar.

OP posts:
Original poster
mummyloveslucy · 12/07/2009 21:20

2 days old! and

OP posts:
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