Should I buy my 4-year-old son pink shoes?

zenmaster

Ettenna wrote: »

Traditionally pink was a boys colour. I remember reading it in the paper earlier this week. There was a hooha about Toys R Us and their aisles of pink stuff for girls.

I was reading that very thing earlier today.

At the turn of the century pink was considered a boy's colour and blue a girl's. Somehow it all got turned around.

I have a pink golf shirt which I like to wear (though I'm going through a black phase at the moment).

Maybe you could find some black shoes with pink swooshes - best of both worlds.

foreign_correspondent

these ones that fernliebeer linked to are cool! Almost all the teenage lads I know would wear 'em..



The idea of pink being for girls is only a social construct anyway - interesting article here...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7817496.stm

kitschkitty

I find it incredibly sad that we live in a world where a young child can't wear the colour of their choice without people giving some non existent meaning to it.

I do realise we live in a world of prejudice and bullying etc, but the fact an adult worries about a 3 year old being seen as girly or gay, is just sad in my opinion and you can be sure if a girl wants blue shoes NONE will bat an eyelid.

Like I say I do appreciate that it's a parents battle against society to let thier child grow up free to express themselves, but I would like to see more confident parents and children, just getting on with their lives.

So I'm sure you already guessed I say go for it and get him pink shoes. Obviously you are not buying him girls shoes, but crocs are unisex and come in every colour under the sun, and as already posted there are a lot of skate, punk, surf and many other clothing trends embrace the colour pink for men and women - even chav and "real" posh people have a penchant for pink these days (though mainly in in shirts and jumpers)!

Some "manly" brands/type shoes to look out for (to get style ideas) vans, converse, TUK and the like.

cheepskate_2

kitschkitty wrote: »

I find it incredibly sad that we live in a world where a young child can't wear the colour of their choice without people giving some non existent meaning to it.

I do realise we live in a world of prejudice and bullying etc, but the fact an adult worries about a 3 year old being seen as girly or gay, is just sad in my opinion and you can be sure if a girl wants blue shoes NONE will bat an eyelid.

Like I say I do appreciate that it's a parents battle against society to let thier child grow up free to express themselves, but I would like to see more confident parents and children, just getting on with their lives.

So I'm sure you already guessed I say go for it and get him pink shoes. Obviously you are not buying him girls shoes, but crocs are unisex and come in every colour under the sun, and as already posted there are a lot of skate, punk, surf and many other clothing trends embrace the colour pink for men and women - even chav and "real" posh people have a penchant for pink these days (though mainly in in shirts and jumpers)!

Some "manly" brands/type shoes to look out for (to get style ideas) vans, converse, TUK and the like.

I have got to agree with the above quote.

My son was desperate for a barbie from about 4 years again probably the same reasons as your son, as his female cousin had lots.

Dad and all our other family members said the same thing as some of the other posters here about gay, bullying etc so he never got them .

When he was about 6 this urge was still there so i got him Barbie and Ken(just to even it up) , he played with them, took them everywhere, even to my sisters where her kids made sure he knew what they thought and for about 4 months didn't bother what people said about it.

Eventually after the 4 months or so he decided Barbie and Ken would now become soldiers and blew them up.

I beleive by not giving him the item kids hold onto the idea longer, they dont want them because they are girls things, but i think by the happy feelings they have around the items.

By all means i would give him the items and act like they are any other item, at 3 years old, I shouldn't think any kids in pre-school should make fun of him, and if they do it is young enough for it not to effect him and let him decide he doesn't want to wear them again.

sarahsarah

Ooh those vans ones are nice! I would get them for a boy, definitely. My brother has some similar, he's 22 though!

If you can find some boys shoes that are pink, then get them.. I'm sure there are quite a few black with a bit of pink pairs of trainers about... There's a difference in getting shoes that are pink and shoes that are designed for girls I think, a lots of the girls ones will have flowers etc on for example...

Just had a quick look:


( all from Amazon)

Paparika

As a child i was bullied, all because i didn't dress the same way as all the other children.
(It was more that my mother dressed me in cast offs that looked different, due to no money)

You all may not want to think that your little darlings are capable of being evil spawns of the demon when in the playground, but.... they can be and will be.

And once they pick on one child, that child tends to get the grieft throughout that school time.

By all minds pander to his needs, but will you allow him to wear them to school, what if he does get bullied? you said he really does need new trainers, so ok you give in with the colour and he decides after 2 days that he won't wear them at school..... you've wasted the money..

Pink for boys, hmm ok i've never thought of boys wanting 'girls' colours, but then again why not.

I can see both points but i am looking at the possible bullying that may happen.

Then again he could start a new trend and all the boys may want a pair.

pickle

Sadly it's often the parents of children who stereotype them into boxes. I dress my daughter in jeans etc. and I often get comments that "she's a tomboy" etc. when she's only a toddler and therefore doesn't choose what she wears. It's just practical. I would buy the shoes and I would say that they're for outside school and I would have a separate pair for school and say that they are "school shoes".

Penny_Watcher

How about compromise with pink socks?

My next youngest brother - now married with kids - went though a stage as a toddler of wanting to be me. I don't remember him dressing like me, but then it was the groovy 60s so lots of multi coloured dungarees all round I think :rolleyes: .

He played with my favourite doll so much that my parents bought him one too to save arguments. Julie she was called - and much nicer than my doll .

Anyway, his tastes moved on to Action Man, tanks and peddle cars, all of which I wanted!

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

He's four for goodness sake,let the little lad have his pink shoes.
I assume your'e frightened giving in to his need for his little pink shoes is encouraging his femininine side just a little too much.
Pink shoes or pink anything won't do that.It's a colour,nothing else.Seems the adults have a problem with it not the kids.Most 4 year olds I know of both sexes love pink,and at his age he'll soon grow out of his shoes anyway.
Let him enjoy his childhood.

pinkshoes

I am not for sale!!! :rolleyes: