this would be MY child, of course

[chhotii]

I wish I could find size 2T panties with any of the following themes: dinosaurs, robots, Thomas the Tank Engine, or Red Sox logo. I'm not SURE that any of these would endear themselves to Sophia enough to spark an interest in panty-wearing (and the resulting commitment to regular potty-sitting). But, trying to guess what would work, I'd rank any of these themes way, way above Micky Mouse, Cinderella, Strawberry Shortcake, or bunny rabbits, which appear on the girl's underwear they sell at Sears. Of course, we looked at these panties at Sears. Of course, Sophia was not interested. Of course, she wanted to look at the "dinosaur panties", and wasn't quite pleased with the explanation that oh, those with the dinosaurs weren't panties, they were briefs for little boys, little boys are different...

Of course, it would be fairly easy to find BRIEFS with any of these themes. Rich says, offer her the option to wear briefs? So what if the fit is a little strange? But just how gender-warped do we want to get here?

Then there's the idea that we get out the silk-screening kit and print up our own custom batch of dinosaur, robot, Thomas, and Red Sox panties. First step, find blank size 2T panties to silkscreen onto. So far that's not trivial. Hanes sells packages of 6 assorted size 2/3 panties, 2 out of the 6 plain white (except for a bit of color on the elastic), the other 4 of which are either too dark or too busy to print onto. Well, maybe. Next step, to look into what I can do with silk-screening.

Comments

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I admit, I don't see the problem with her wearing briefs, but if you're decorating your own, I'd suggest using the inkjet-printable iron-ons. I think it will make your life *much* easier than silkscreening.

Good luck!

[chhotii.livejournal.com]

Hmm, sounds like a good suggestion. But how well would the inkjet-printable iron-ons stand up to frequent hot-water washing, any idea? (I'm not expecting instant success here.)

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

The ones I've done have held up to multiple washings, though I always wash in cold so I don't know how much of a difference that would make.

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

We were relatively fortunate that alyveritya was interested in the Little Mermaid and other such stereotypically girly stuff when it came time for her to use the potty.

One very important function of the "pretty panties" is that, when she destroys a pair thru neglect, those panties are thrown away as ruined. This is the training power of shame.

But for that reason, the panties also have to be cheap...

[tamidon.livejournal.com]

Yea Target

[chhotii.livejournal.com]

Hmm, you have a point there.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Maybe try one of those tie-dye online shops where they sell plain white everything? And then get an ink stamp and some fabric paint and go to town. I agree that the gender stereotyping of kids is just heinous.

[chhotii.livejournal.com]

I checked Dharma Trading first, was very surprised to find no panties on their website at all!

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Oh, lame! I would love a pair or three of tie-dyed panties. But then, I guess plain white panties are pretty easy to find in grownup sizes.

[(Anonymous)]

Umm, does it really matter if she wears briefs? They hold up better and are easier to pull up afterwards (the tiny briefs sort of roll up on the legs making it hard to put on again). H wears I's old briefs because she wanted to and it encouraged her to potty train.

[candle-light.livejournal.com]

That was me.

[candle-light.livejournal.com]

Umm, I also find the gender-warped comment a bit strong. Pants were also only for boys once, and lots of companies are marketing "boy-briefs" for women. I see the ads in magazines all the time. If briefs with the right images on them got her to use the potty, isn't it worth it?

[chhotii.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Well, a unique issue we have to deal with is that Sophia is in Grandma care a lot. Said Grandma has been displeased enough already with Sophia's wardrobe being too masculine, even before the issue of underwear came up. In some ways she has trouble getting over her '50's upbringing. I don't want any mixed messages-- we all have to be rah-rah pro-underwear, or else Sophia will balk some more, I'm sure.

[tb]

With the usual disclaimer that I am not a parent and thus completely unqualified to even read this discussion, let alone comment, but am too much of a clueless geek to STFU already, I don't think letting Grandma's issues gender-warp Sophia is a good idea. There's not a chance in hell that she'll grow up in any doubt of her expected gender role; our culture will see to that. If later in life she decides to transition, it won't be because of wearing dinosaur briefs during potty training. Now if R. decided to teach her to pee standing up... that would be really handy on camping trips.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Apparently, briefs and "boy shorts" are quite the popular item with a segment or two of the female population.

Get the briefs. If Grandma complains, pull out the Victoria's Secret catalog, show her the briefs, and then say, "Yeah, the other design that Sophia likes is the thongs..."

[sicklemoon.livejournal.com]

Uh... just to add my data point, I put my girl children into boy underwear when they were this age. I just liked the patterns better, and, though I consider myself a creative person, I had no particular desire to spend hours creating individualized underwear that there was a big risk of them, uh, crapping in and hideously staining.

I'll go on a limb here and suggest Gymboree as a decent source for cute patterns of dinosaurs, woodland creatures, not-actually-gendered fun clothes--though, of course, they will probably be labeled "boy" or "girl" no escaping that in the US these days), yes, I know Gymboree is not as cheap as Target (or as Walmart, for that matter) but they do have really cute patterns on a regular basis.

As in, cute, non-commercial dinosaurs that are not pointing their tasers at you.

(friend of Klingonlandlady, not sure why I ended up seeing this post, but there you go....)

[sicklemoon.livejournal.com]

P.S. My girls are 7 now, and no longer where boy briefs, for what that's worth.

[istemi.livejournal.com]

Hell, I wish I could find medium sized panties with robots!

Especially if they looked like this:


That girl's got taste.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

I forgot to mention, Ilana came home with panties from her dad's house that have glittery statements on the front about how much she loves shopping. Horrible.

I also agree with candle_light that Sophia's wearing briefs would not be the end of the world. Ilana loves dressing both like a boy and girl, and I think that is cool.

[roozle.livejournal.com]

Go with the 2T briefs. I'm quite certain Talia swiped the Superman ones at some point, and I don't think she had a moment of gender confusion from it. Now, rage about how boys clothes are better made/sturdier/more practical in any dimension you can name? That, I can get behind.