First, a thank you to Crosby, Still Nash and Young for the
inspiration for the headline. I am, an old rock n’ roller and proud of it.
Everyday, we do a tens of things to keep our children safe from
doling out vitamins, attaching mittens to snowsuits to teaching then to cross
with the green and making sure they’re strapped into their car seats or seat
belts properly, but there’s one thing America (and maybe the world) does that
just plain makes no sense for the good health and welfare of our children: we
let them run around everywhere clad in just diapers.
Now I’ve never been blessed with children of my own, but I’ve put
in many, many baby sitting hours for friend’s children, cousin’s children and
I’m godmother to no less than 6 children who call me Almost Aunt Karen and I
take that responsibility extremely seriously.
Why, if you feel you the need to wear jeans, a t-shirt, sock and
shoes, do you think your infant or toddler needs just a diaper. Babies skin is
thinner than ours and more vulnerable to the sun. Perhaps I’m a nervous Nelly,
but I think they need more. Now I know first hand what a pain it is to change
diapers and I know how frequent an act that is with little ones. You go to the
grocery story, you need to change a diaper. You go to the gas station, maybe
yes maybe no. The dry cleaners, probably. Walmart or Kmart, you’d be wise to
place a bet with Vegas if they’ll take your action. It’s just part of having a
baby. They pee and poop a lot. You probably pee and poop just as much, you just
have developed the muscles and the sensitivity to pay attention to the the
early warning signs and you can make it to the restroom in time. At least I
hope that’s the case. If it’s not--and this no laughing matter--see your
physician; there are medications that can help.
But what to do about these near naked little ones running through
Ross Dress for Less and Home Depot? My instinct is to grab them up in my arms
and put them inside my sweater but I know that won’t endear me to their parents
who obviously think it’s OK to let their baby out of the house dressed in
probably a 20th of the clothing they’re currently wearing.
If you skip down to my bio you’ll see that I’ve been an
advertising copywriter for 25+ years and once, for a bond insurance
company--created a commercial very similar to the second paragraph of this
article. Every scene showed parents doing all the things we do daily to keep
our children safe and well. We even used the song “Keep Your Children Well.”
Upon testing--and big Madison Avenue clients--test what’s for lunch,
participants cried upon seeing the commercial. Did the bond client buy the
spot? Nope. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young wanted a $100K for the rights to
the song. This was 20 years ago. Think about the songs used today for
commercials and what the cost of their rights might be. Dummies. When people
cry, you produce and run the spot. There’s no better response.
So what do I have to do to get you to cry and realize your baby
is freezing and despite all your other fine efforts, you’re putting him in
danger?
Clothes for babies and toddlers are both adorable and relatively
cheap. You can even get great stop barely used at garage sales and thrift
stores. I recently saw a baby wearing what I would guess was a “twosy” with an
adorable stuffed bunnies head mounted on the shoulder looking right at the baby
acting as a built-in toy.
My advice is to recognize how vulnerable our little ones are and
embrace how absolutely adorable you can make them look with the proper
wardrobe. I once bought my Nearly Neice Lila a tiny motorcycle jacket. Almost
Aunt Karen became the hit of the party and Lila ended up with her picture in
Allure magazine 1990 as best dressed baby.
If you love your baby -- and I know you do -- err on the side of
safety and modesty and dress them at least as well as you.
Author Bio: Karen Boyarsky
is an advertising copywriter with 25 years experience. She blogs on myriad
topics. You can follow her on Twitter @ boyarsky_kareni. She’s got lots to say
on lots of subjects.
