“My son used to play Barbie with his older sisterHe grew out of it.”
I used to play with Princess Barbie for a while… But I didn’t think I was the Princess. Or Prince Charming.
I was the dragon.
I don’t play with too many Barbies any more (aside from Castle Anthrax) but I haven’t exactly grown out of that.
"We work very hard to not enforce gender stereotyped play,”
But you still regard ‘social norms’ to be important. Yeah, you’re so open and liberal, as long as no one crosses your lines.
“parental discretion in limiting cross-gender behavior it when it becomes a problem.”
We don’t enforce gender stereotype play but we also don’t think cross-gender behavior can be a PROBLEM. You want to wear a kilt to school, sure. Rainbow pants, right over there. Dye your hair blue? Jeez, next time come to me. I doj’t care if your hair is blue, but it’s not. However, you sweat like a Ti-D-Bowl dispenser.
“The extreme cases described in the diary are examples where the parents let the behavior get out of control for years and years.”
My kids’ behavior has always been in their control. At least since they were able to dress themselves.
“It becomes a problem when it egregiously violates social norms.”
Which are artificial and largely enforced by stuck-up morons.
“For example, it's not appropriate for boys to wear dresses to school unless it's a costume.”
Why not?
What the fuck do you care?
“ And parents who don't act before this becomes a risk (as evidenced by a growing preference at home) are playing with fire.”
BEcause….?
“I can manage my own toleranceI can't manage the tolerance of every person that my child encounters.”
Sounds more like you’re managing your kid. That’s not tolerance.
“Children are not social experiments.”
I would not dress my son in a skirt to see what happens.
But if my son wants to wear a skirt to school, that’s certainly his choice….
“Children are not exercises in public demonstration of moral outrage.”
That doesn’t match your rhetoric.
“Children are not vehicles for political theater.”
No, when i wore a kilt to work it was entirely for my benefit. I didn’t dresss my kids since they were about 4.
“You get one chance with a child.”
Wow, that’s stupid.
Let’s see. My first son wanted to be in culinary. Went to college for Hospitality. Then joined the Navy as a Boatswain’s Mate. THEN married, worked in a shipyard, now works in a Walgreen’s. You get plenty of chances to guide and help. Many choices occur.