I bought a little bra for 8 year-old dd

[joliejolie]

And she loves it! She begged me to buy it and she has worn it non-stop for 2 days! She even wanted to sleep in it!

Of course she is nowhere near being able to fill it, but it is just a little trainy type one from Gap.

At first I thought it was really sweet, but now it makes me feel a bit sad. She is going to need a real one soon enough...and then she will have to wear the damn thing for the rest of her life!

I am more worried about the gut reaction that BREASTS AND BRAS ARE SEXUAL

I thought we were v. against that message?

joliejolie - rest assured that is a crop top and not a bra - although why it is marketed as one I don't know.....I think kids grow up far to quickly these days, and when I saw your OP it saddened me. However, I can understand her (your daughter) feeling a bit embarassed changing before the boys (although still much younger than I was IMO) so don't see a problem with it now I can see what it is!!

Breasts and bras are not sexual (until boys start to think of them). That's not what I am saying. I am saying that we should not be encouraging our kids to grow up too quickly.

when I was growing up a 'trainer bra' was a soft cotton bra in sizes 'AA' and above and had 2 distinct cups like a normal adult bra

it is very different from a cropped top

nobody thinks you are raising a sexualised freak but it is an uphill struggle fighting against the 'bratz' mini-slut mentality .. I won't allow DD to have a bikini, they do them for 4 year olds and younger .. with a 2 flat triangle against their flat nipples .. it's foul

Thanks kbear. Do I really need to worry about the fact that I am raising a child who is a bit self conscious about her body in year 3?? If she wasn't a bit shy, I dare say someone would have a comment about that too.

I don't think there is any right answer, but it is annoying when so many people think they have it!

I am saying that we should not be encouraging our kids to grow up too quickly.

My 2 year old plays with plastic pots and pans - is this encouraging her to grow up too quickly?

I don't think we as parents can make our children self-conscious .. I think that is innate and partly to do with peers

doesn't make it any less sad that it happens at 8

MP .. what you on 'bout, Willis?

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It is not always us doing the encouragment either, it is everywhere. Just look around, kids grow up faster these days. The most popular thing is a film about High School kids (which we don't own btw, not that I would judge someone who did).

It is so sad, which is what I said in my OP btw!!

we had swimsuits or bikini bottoms

we didn't have bikinis until we were pre-pubescent, I think .. although it all merges into one big blur so quite happy to find out I'm wrong on that .. there are no pictures of bikini clad small girls though

My dd has a bikini and I don't think a thing of it because I wear one.
Now the sexy triangle top ones are a bit , but how many of us put those on our dd's??

Well, at least now I know not to mention my dc's swimwear. Duly noted!

I shall make sure I write a strongly worded letter to Johnny Boden for selling me one his "devilwear" tankini's!!

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oh streuth .. a tankini is a crop top and OK .. a bikini is a bra and not

as you well know

but way to get loads of messages on your thread

At the school I work in the girls in year 3 change for PE in the classroom with the boys, they do get self conscious. If a child (of either sex!) takes their top off and doesn't have a vest on, everyone goes, "urgh" or some such nonsense. A "cropped vest" seems a perfect compromise to me!

that thing about people spoiling for a fight....

I really did not mean for the pitchforks to come out before dark people. The OP was innocent and I was even trying to say that I found it sad that she wanted something so grown up. I actually agreed with most of you, but that was just lost.

Oh well...

Marks and Spencer Per Una has a really nice kimono that I am thinking about buying. Anyone seen it?

Oh fgs, the package and even the website calls it a bra! I have never purchased a crop top, so I was relying on the packaging to know what it is called. If I had ever purchased a crop top before, I would have never even post this thread. My dd is only 8, so forgive me if the wording isn't correct!

I was not trying to get this many negative posts and I was not trying to wind anyone up. Just got lucky, I suppose. Why is everyone so literal?

And I stand by the spoiling for fight comment because some of the posts here have been crazy and it seems to me there is quite a bit of sparring on MN lately. I did not want to get caught up in all of that...especially in style and beauty!