Seven year old wants to show her midriff.

[Anonymous]

I was 7 in the early 70’s and I remember wearing tub tops that showed a sliver of my midriff. It wasn’t a big deal back then. I was a teen in the 80’s and we wore crop tops. Still not a big deal. I guess the only difference was that I wore crop and tube tops during the summer and on weekends, not to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not have time to read all these comments but the ones I did read are crazy. There’s nothing wrong with the 7 year old or the mom. My 7 year old is also interested in crop tops because she likes to be fashionable and she sees women everywhere wearing crop tops. We don’t buy them because they’re not on dress code at her school. But if we did buy them, I don’t think she’d be objectifying herself. There’s nothing sexual about her stomach. She’s 7. I’ve got a baby who wears a lot of bubble rompers — are we objectifying her because she’s showing too much leg? If anyone thought that I’d say they’re sick and same for a 7 year old.

I’ve seen lots of tasteful crop tops on older women too, believe it or not. Pairing with a high waisted jean and a high neck top that shows just an inch or less of stomach looks contemporary and tasteful.

Anyway to the mom who asked for advice, I’d tell her they’re not on dress code and we’re not buying clothes you can’t also wear to school. Or I’d buy her one that just shows a tiny bit of stomach and tell her she can wear with high waisted jeans and only on the weekend because otherwise she’ll feel cold/can’t play comfortably and you’re not buying clothes that can’t be used frequently.

I love this approach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The oversexualization and policing of girls bodies so gross.

I let my 9yo wear what she wants. Including crop tops.

I have a 7 yr old and she’s wanted to show her belly a bit and while I can’t say that I’m totally supportive, I don’t think it’s THAT big of a deal. we don’t buy actual crop tops but she bunches her baggy t shirts and ties them in a hair band or scrunchy (anyone remember those pull-through plastic things that achieved that look in 1993?). This can kind of be adjusted up or down and we don’t let her go full belly at school. I am kind of surprised by the responses to the thread, I thought there would be more people saying to let her.

I 100% forgot about those. It was more like 1989 for me - I had one in junior high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My almost 7yo saw teenagers in the neighborhood wearing crop tops and wanted to do the same. I told her no but I have caught her trying to tie her shirts up high with a scrunchie. I told her she can't go out like that so she doesn't. She tests out all sorts of fashion that she sees- some in the totally opposite direction-- floor length prairie dresses etc. It's not about sexualization in her case, she wouldn't even understand that concept.

Why is she like this?? Is she being abused? This is the kind of behavior that groomed kids display.

What are you talking about you psycho freak? Go back to Fox News or Fairfax Underground, you nasty weirdo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really? My 7 yr old likes dresses with kittens, bumblebees, polka dots, anything holiday themed. I can’t imagine a 7 yr old wanting to dress like a teen

Home school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The oversexualization and policing of girls bodies so gross.

I let my 9yo wear what she wants. Including crop tops.

I have a 7 yr old and she’s wanted to show her belly a bit and while I can’t say that I’m totally supportive, I don’t think it’s THAT big of a deal. we don’t buy actual crop tops but she bunches her baggy t shirts and ties them in a hair band or scrunchy (anyone remember those pull-through plastic things that achieved that look in 1993?). This can kind of be adjusted up or down and we don’t let her go full belly at school. I am kind of surprised by the responses to the thread, I thought there would be more people saying to let her.

I 100% forgot about those. It was more like 1989 for me - I had one in junior high.

My DD (also 7) invented her own version of that with a hair tie. It is alive and well.

[Anonymous]

I am wondering if the grannies and prudes on this thread just are completely clueless about what the current trends are.

I have allowed my 10 year old to wear shirts similar to below. My 7 year old hasn't expressed interest in cropped shirts at all.















She is not allowed to wear what was called a babydoll tee when I was kid. This is a hard no, never, no way in hell:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The oversexualization and policing of girls bodies so gross.

I let my 9yo wear what she wants. Including crop tops.

I have a 7 yr old and she’s wanted to show her belly a bit and while I can’t say that I’m totally supportive, I don’t think it’s THAT big of a deal. we don’t buy actual crop tops but she bunches her baggy t shirts and ties them in a hair band or scrunchy (anyone remember those pull-through plastic things that achieved that look in 1993?). This can kind of be adjusted up or down and we don’t let her go full belly at school. I am kind of surprised by the responses to the thread, I thought there would be more people saying to let her.

I 100% forgot about those. It was more like 1989 for me - I had one in junior high.

My DD (also 7) invented her own version of that with a hair tie. It is alive and well.

LOL, mine too! She does it with a scrunchie, which I did when I was in ES, too. But, as was the trend in the late 80s, she uses it on oversized tees (usually ones her older sister has outgrown but are still too big for her). We also have a "you cannot look like you're not wearing pants" rule in my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are the one objectifying and sexualizing a 7 year old. Get help.

This!! Wow I can’t believe there is so much judgement of kids wearing crop tops. My kid is 4 and never asked for one but I don’t see the issue AT ALL. I also don’t understand why little girls wear bikini tops/cover their nipples before any buds form. It’s bizarre and sexualizing kids bodies.

It’s a short shirt! SMH…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry that none of the PPs have given remotely helpful responses. I opened this thread bc I too have a 7 year old girl and - although this particular issue hasn’t come up - similar things have/will and I wondered how people would approach it in a ‘shut it down but not shaming’ way. Hope some people with helpful advice chime in!

I never understand these posts - or the parents who are more concerned with "shaming" than education. It is an absolute SHAME that we live in a culture where seven year old girls have already learned that their self worth is dependent on how good they look in skimpy clothing. Even at this young age, they understand that their inherent value is directly proportional to how much skin they show. Do we not have value when we are clothed? and not hyper-critiqued for how we dress? Why are parents supporting this? Tell your girls that they deserve to be just as comfortable at school as the boys who are able to learn in baggy shorts and t-shirts. They don't need to worry if their stomachs are small enough, butts big enough, and drawing enough attention. Maybe women will always be hyper sexualized and we should just accept it. Who knows?

But in you can, tell them that school is for education and they should wear what is comfortable for learning.

You know what they say about assuming PP. I have a 7 year old who is in the same situation but it has nothing to do with wanting to show skin. She watches American Ninja Warrior and sees the female contestants who are STRONG and want to as strong and as powerful as the men competing in sports bras and she wants to be like them. So how DO you explain to a 7 year old who sees badA women competing and being strong and independent that what they wear is sexual?

I feel like there is no way to explain it to her WITHOUT making her feel sexualized because that aspect of it all is completely foreign to her and has absolutely nothing to do with why she wants to dress that way.