Ridiculous things your parents criticize you about

[HenrysMom]

My mum accused me of lying about how bad my 'morning' sickness was when I was pregnant, until the day that I threw up on her shoes.

But the worst for criticising about stuff that does NOT matter is my maternal grandmother. She will comment on any picture of Baby Wolverine that I post on FB where she is wearing anything that is not PINK. And the day I put her in a blue onesie with a pirate-themed bandana-bib? OH MY STARS AND GARTERS.

I actually got a ranty phone message on my home line after that photo - YOU ARE GOING TO SCAR YOUR DAUGHTER FOR LIFE DRESSING HER IN BLUE! AND THERE'S SKULLS AND CROSSBONES ON THAT BIB! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

Yeah, we just ignore that. Though I will admit that when I go visit Nana I will mostly dress her in pink, just so that I don't have to listen to the 'little girls need to wear girly things' lecture. Heaven help us if Wolvie turns out to be a tomboy - or if Nana finds out that we call her Wolverine...

Wonder what your grandmother would've said about my brother dressing me in boy's clothes when I was a toddler.  He couldn't get over the fact I wasn't born male, so he tried to turn me into a boy by dressing me in boy clothes and using his military toys to teach me how to play "war."  It didn't work, and I think he resented me ever since for not being a boy.

[Free Range Hippy Chick]

Wonder what your grandmother would've said about my brother dressing me in boy's clothes when I was a toddler.  He couldn't get over the fact I wasn't born male, so he tried to turn me into a boy by dressing me in boy clothes and using his military toys to teach me how to play "war."  It didn't work, and I think he resented me ever since for not being a boy.

Just be grateful he didn't want a pony.

[Bexx27]

My mum accused me of lying about how bad my 'morning' sickness was when I was pregnant, until the day that I threw up on her shoes.

But the worst for criticising about stuff that does NOT matter is my maternal grandmother. She will comment on any picture of Baby Wolverine that I post on FB where she is wearing anything that is not PINK. And the day I put her in a blue onesie with a pirate-themed bandana-bib? OH MY STARS AND GARTERS.

I actually got a ranty phone message on my home line after that photo - YOU ARE GOING TO SCAR YOUR DAUGHTER FOR LIFE DRESSING HER IN BLUE! AND THERE'S SKULLS AND CROSSBONES ON THAT BIB! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

Yeah, we just ignore that. Though I will admit that when I go visit Nana I will mostly dress her in pink, just so that I don't have to listen to the 'little girls need to wear girly things' lecture. Heaven help us if Wolvie turns out to be a tomboy - or if Nana finds out that we call her Wolverine...

What does she think about blue dresses? Are they supposed to be for boys?

[Twik]

Wonder what your grandmother would've said about my brother dressing me in boy's clothes when I was a toddler.  He couldn't get over the fact I wasn't born male, so he tried to turn me into a boy by dressing me in boy clothes and using his military toys to teach me how to play "war."  It didn't work, and I think he resented me ever since for not being a boy.

Just be grateful he didn't want a pony.

Or a puppy.

Or a goldfish.

[ladyknight1]

My father refuses to believe that I am allergic to insect bites. So allergic that I swell up and have an anaphylactic reaction. I carry Benadryl, hydrocortisone cream and an EpiPen. He still doesn't believe me.

During their last trip here, the hotel grounds where they were parked had a major fire ant problem. I was bitten several times on my ankle, enough to have a reaction. He still thinks I am making that up. 

[gingerzing]

My mum accused me of lying about how bad my 'morning' sickness was when I was pregnant, until the day that I threw up on her shoes.

But the worst for criticising about stuff that does NOT matter is my maternal grandmother. She will comment on any picture of Baby Wolverine that I post on FB where she is wearing anything that is not PINK. And the day I put her in a blue onesie with a pirate-themed bandana-bib? OH MY STARS AND GARTERS.

I actually got a ranty phone message on my home line after that photo - YOU ARE GOING TO SCAR YOUR DAUGHTER FOR LIFE DRESSING HER IN BLUE! AND THERE'S SKULLS AND CROSSBONES ON THAT BIB! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

Yeah, we just ignore that. Though I will admit that when I go visit Nana I will mostly dress her in pink, just so that I don't have to listen to the 'little girls need to wear girly things' lecture. Heaven help us if Wolvie turns out to be a tomboy - or if Nana finds out that we call her Wolverine...

OT  - (sorry) Does Nana not realize that until the early 1900's (1910's-1920's*) that it was opposite?  The generally accepted rule was pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. "The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl."  And it wasn't until the 1940's or so that blue for boys and pink for girls was set more firmly. 

*This is more toward America.  I think France did do boys in blue before.


Back on topic a bit. 
What is with all the parents getting twisted up about "too much reading"?  As if there is such a thing.

[Pen^2]

Not my parents, but on the "too much reading" note:

I had a child in class who has superb comprehension. He's the youngest by far (not quite 3 yet) but can follow stories and answer questions about them like nobody's business. I mentioned this to his parents as they pick him up (I always try to compliment each child), and they said kind of flippantly, "Oh yeah, he really likes stories, I guess. He won't go to bed unless we read him one or two. We're really worried that it might be bad for him or something."

I reassured them that reading bedtime stories was a very healthy thing and that it was probably a large part of why he was so advanced for his age. But they didn't seem to care much either way.

[Jones]

I...it.../cry/
Bedtime stories and such great short term memory are Great! My daughter wasn't 't interested at all as a toddler but DS is totally into books and it's amazing to read story after story to the little guy. In what universe can that be damaging or concerning?

If they can't stand his brains in a few years I'll take him, I'd love a houseful of reading kids (without, you know, having to give birth to them all, haha).

[Elfmama]

My mum accused me of lying about how bad my 'morning' sickness was when I was pregnant, until the day that I threw up on her shoes.

But the worst for criticising about stuff that does NOT matter is my maternal grandmother. She will comment on any picture of Baby Wolverine that I post on FB where she is wearing anything that is not PINK. And the day I put her in a blue onesie with a pirate-themed bandana-bib? OH MY STARS AND GARTERS.

I actually got a ranty phone message on my home line after that photo - YOU ARE GOING TO SCAR YOUR DAUGHTER FOR LIFE DRESSING HER IN BLUE! AND THERE'S SKULLS AND CROSSBONES ON THAT BIB! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

Yeah, we just ignore that. Though I will admit that when I go visit Nana I will mostly dress her in pink, just so that I don't have to listen to the 'little girls need to wear girly things' lecture. Heaven help us if Wolvie turns out to be a tomboy - or if Nana finds out that we call her Wolverine...

Some years ago there was a man who sued the hospital where his son had been born 20 years earlier.  Seems that when the child was born, he was one of an unusual number of boy births and there were no blue baby blankets left.  The hospital wrapped him in a PINK blanket -- and the father claimed that it was therefore the hospital's fault that his now-adult son was gay! 

[Mollie]

That is just as sad as the mom who refused to give her son a water, becuase it had a pink lid.

[Midnight Kitty]

Some years ago there was a man who sued the hospital where his son had been born 20 years earlier.  Seems that when the child was born, he was one of an unusual number of boy births and there were no blue baby blankets left.  The hospital wrapped him in a PINK blanket -- and the father claimed that it was therefore the hospital's fault that his now-adult son was gay! 

I assume that a lawsuit requires both standing and damages. It sounds like the father believes that he, himself, sustained damages from this pink blanket use and his son's gender identity. How was the father harmed? What's wrong with the son's gender identity? 

[Elfmama]

Some years ago there was a man who sued the hospital where his son had been born 20 years earlier.  Seems that when the child was born, he was one of an unusual number of boy births and there were no blue baby blankets left.  The hospital wrapped him in a PINK blanket -- and the father claimed that it was therefore the hospital's fault that his now-adult son was gay! 

I assume that a lawsuit requires both standing and damages. It sounds like the father believes that he, himself, sustained damages from this pink blanket use and his son's gender identity. How was the father harmed? What's wrong with the son's gender identity?

Darned if I know, MK.  However, in the US it's possible to file a lawsuit for almost anything. (Burglar gets bitten by dog, sues homeowner and wins. ) I never heard anything more about it, so I suspect that someone at some point said "Suit denied." (But the lawyer still got a fee, I betcha.)

[Mel the Redcap]

Some years ago there was a man who sued the hospital where his son had been born 20 years earlier.  Seems that when the child was born, he was one of an unusual number of boy births and there were no blue baby blankets left.  The hospital wrapped him in a PINK blanket -- and the father claimed that it was therefore the hospital's fault that his now-adult son was gay! 

I assume that a lawsuit requires both standing and damages. It sounds like the father believes that he, himself, sustained damages from this pink blanket use and his son's gender identity. How was the father harmed? What's wrong with the son's gender identity?

Because being gay is bad (because Reasons), and if your son is gay it throws doubt on your own masculinity (because More Reasons), and also he won't be able to talk about his son without preceding every sentence with "My son, you know him, he's gay, I SWEAR IT'S NOT MY FAULT I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED," which is embarrassing and hurts his fee-fees.

/end attempt to explain a patently ridiculous point of view

[PastryGoddess]

Some years ago there was a man who sued the hospital where his son had been born 20 years earlier.  Seems that when the child was born, he was one of an unusual number of boy births and there were no blue baby blankets left.  The hospital wrapped him in a PINK blanket -- and the father claimed that it was therefore the hospital's fault that his now-adult son was gay! 

I assume that a lawsuit requires both standing and damages. It sounds like the father believes that he, himself, sustained damages from this pink blanket use and his son's gender identity. How was the father harmed? What's wrong with the son's gender identity? 

Now now Midnight Kitty.  Don't go applying logic to this situation

[Midnight Kitty]

Some years ago there was a man who sued the hospital where his son had been born 20 years earlier.  Seems that when the child was born, he was one of an unusual number of boy births and there were no blue baby blankets left.  The hospital wrapped him in a PINK blanket -- and the father claimed that it was therefore the hospital's fault that his now-adult son was gay! 

I assume that a lawsuit requires both standing and damages. It sounds like the father believes that he, himself, sustained damages from this pink blanket use and his son's gender identity. How was the father harmed? What's wrong with the son's gender identity? 

Now now Midnight Kitty.  Don't go applying logic to this situation

I know, silly me looking for logic in unreasoning prejudice.

I admit my questions were a bit facetious.  When I encounter that entrenched type of prejudice, I like to see if they can explain themselves without tripping on facts.

While it may be true that anyone can file a lawsuit for any frivolous reason, they may also find themselves financially responsible for the other party's legal fees.  I used to work in "Law Enforcement" in that I enforced the Clean Water Act.  I developed cases and filed legal actions against polluters.  One must establish standing up front or else they don't need to read any further to dismiss the case.  There also have to be some type of damages in order to calculate the penalty. I'd like to see the father claiming that he won't have any grandchildren because the hospital used a pink blanket on his son.

I also learn a lot watching Marilyn Milian on The People's Court.