This week’s letter comes from the Viking Mama who reminds – no,
implores – parents to bundle up their youngsters as they themselves
bundle. I like it if for no other reason than she reminds me of me own
mum who never met a scarf she didn’t like. Thanks for the letter Viking
Mama. You can pick up your spoils, a pound of Strictly Organic coffee
at our office, 704 NW Georgia.
It is not yet summer here in Central
Oregon and one might feel that as one goes back inside to get one’s
hat. Well, get one for your kid as well!
As a mom with two
small children it aches in my bones when I see these little beings in
thin cotton pants with their bare legs showing as they are hanging in
swings, in BabyBjorns or on the back of baby-carriers. In the old
country they would say that when the mother is cold, the child is
wearing a turtleneck. Well not here, not at the boat park, not at
lighting of the Christmas tree downtown, not at WinterFest.
How can it be that the parents are in their down jackets, wool hats and triple soled Danskos, UGG’s and winter Merrells when their kid is in a SINGLE layer outfit and flip flops?
Kids are always hot? Not so. They cannot observe before the age of four that they are getting colder until they are FREEZING, and then it is kind of too late…the body temperature has sunk, the whole park thing was a miserable experience, and the opportune winter bugs sets in.
Wonder why your kids get sick “all the time?” Well, put on a hat. Put some gloves on. Put a layer underneath those cotton pants – like good-old long johns, or a pair of tights-they are not just to dress up a skirt. And boys can use a pair of tights under their jeans as well.
The two best observations this week were:
“Are you cold yet?”
“Oh my god, your hands and cheeks are freezing. I better take you home before you get sicker.” (Again a father at the park in his down jacket, a hat pulled down over his ears and triple soled boots. The kid? A single layer of loose cotton layer with thin pants, an open neckline, summer slip ons… and no hat!)
I like to put a base layer of non-itch wool (Try Skandikids.com) first on my two little ones, or a tighter cotton outfit before the fleece. Then I get their windbreaker out on a windy day, or if my little one is going to sit still.
You might respond back that the kid does not want to get dressed this way. But who is the boss in your house, you or the kid? And is preventing an ear infection worth a fight?
The second observation was a baby about four or five months old hanging in the front of a parent who was having a brisk walk in the rain and feeding the baby a bottle. Can you say indigestion? But there is nothing like eating on the run.
Forget the cozy armpit and the slow drifting off after a relaxing meal. But hey, that kid had his hood on. This will be addressed in more detail in my next letter.
With sincere concern,
The Viking Mamma
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2009.
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Go get em Viking Mama ! I’d like to add another common occurrence. It is almost a given to go into a store and hear children screaming from sleep deprivation. The parents of these poor tots keep right on shopping even though their children are having melt downs from a much needed nap, talk about clueless !!
Thanks for writing this, Mama. Many Bend parents seem to be complete idiots when it comes to dressing their kids (and in some cases themselves) for winter weather. I’m always seeing kids waiting for the school bus in 30-degree weather wearing only a T-shirt and jeans — no coat, no hat. I call this child abuse.
Of course it’s not unusual to see Bend adults walking around in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops themselves in such weather. No brain, no pain I guess.
WOW, It must be real hard for all you perfect mothers to live in such a imperfect world. As far as your dumb comment csante about mothers letting their “poor tots” cry while they just keep shopping, how do you know the child is tired, do you personally go up to each child crying in a store and ask them when the last time they had a nap was? May be the child is sick? May be they are being spoiled brats at the moment, many situations could be making the child cry, so why not be so damn presumptuous. For Mama and any others who are as judgmental just think of things this way, who are you to judge and to give advice about parenting, may be there are things you do with your children that others do not approve of. Guess what, its not for them or you to decide what is best for other peoples children, if someone wants there kid to freeze so be it. Just be secure in the thought that you are perfect and situations have never risen where you find that when you leave your house its warmer than when you reach your destinations. After all we do live in central Oregon.
I would guess you could be turned in for child neglect for letting your kid freeze. Get a grip on reality. And if you have been in Central Oregon for any length of time, you do know the weather can change and…prepare for it! No reason not to bring a coat along or whatever else might be appropriate.
RN MOM: Wow, why so angry and defensive?
“Guess what, its not for them or you to decide what is best for other peoples children, if someone wants there [sic] kid to freeze so be it.”
That is an unbelievably callous comment. If you really are an RN I feel sorry for your patients.
HBM: I feel even sorrier for RN MOM’S children.