Kendodd said:
"Didn't all the posters say they WOULDN'T force their children to have braces? I don't see how this makes us all hypocrites. I even detailed why I wouldn't force them, as did others. You obviously have trouble understanding the information in front of you."
Force? You will find I said that if you had to force your child to get braces fitted you really needed to work on your relationship with them. I even asked if you (plural) thought that Muslim boys were dragged kicking and screaming to their circumcision (they traditionally circumcise between 8 and 12 years old). Of course not. Their parents persuade them that it is in their interests to get it done.
Now, the reason you are a hypocrite is not just that you stated you would attempt to persuade your child to have braces fitted but the fact that you wouldn't start shouting "mutilation" at other parents who did. You reserve that honour exclusively for parents who decide circumcision is in their child's best interests.
"You also put us in you special 'bad parent' book, . Seems like you're on your own in the 'good parent' book, everybody else is in here grin."
Not so special. And since you admitted you would try to persuade your child to have braces fitted if you felt it was in his interests you are spared the indignity of the naughty step. You will have to make do with the label "hypocrite". The bad parent book is reserved for parents who refuse to persuade their child to have braces fitted on the misguided principle that they should do noting to alter their child's body until they are old enough to make a genuinely independent choice.
"Maybe you can come back with one of your 'what have we established (in your own head)' posts, that did make me snigger smile."
I am glad that the truth makes you smile. Unless there is any item on the list you do not feel is inaccurate? Please let me know and I will point you to the correct page in this forum.
"What would you have done baggins if your wife had been against it?"
I would have discussed it with her like an adult. Being an adult she would refrain from emotive clap-trap like "mutilation" and look at the evidence. That is why I married her: because she is a rational adult who doesn't lap up everything she reads on clearly biased websites.
"Maybe you could have used your powers of persuasion unfortunately I don't think they're as good as you think because you've managed to convince nobody on this thread."
Oh, dear. Comprehension isn't your strong suit, is it. My claim is that children are easily persuaded by their parents, not that I have magic powers of persuasion. Nice try at an insult though.
"Also baggins what are you going to say to your son if he is pissed off with you about this? Are you just going to shout him down, call him names and say he's wrong and you are right?"
I will tell him why we, as his parents, thought it was the right thing to do. I will leave the shouting and name-calling to those who cry "mutilation" at parents who choose circumcision for their kids.
"You have said upthread that you think NOT circumcising is a valid choice for parents to make. If your so convinced you're right about this why do you think that not circumcising IS ok?"
I also explained this upthread. The advantages of circumcision are not so great that circumcision should be considered essential. There are far greater risks to your life and well-being than those mitigated by circumcision. However circumcision is a quick and simple procedure with virtually no risk and minimal drawbacks that does at least remove one set of risks. As such it is a valid choice for parents to make for their child, but not essential.