Thanks to the sudden and unexpected popularity of my latest post about how I’m attempting to get big retailers like Target to listen to the feedback parents are offering and change the clothes that are offered to our daughters, I have a lot of new visitors here this week. I am overwhelmed by all of your support, and would like to especially thank Good Morning America for running my story.
photo credit: Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms
First of all, Welcome! I’m so glad you are here. I would love to have you join the community on my Facebook page so that I can get to know you better as well. There are almost 5 years worth of posts on this website to sort through. Since that can be a bit overwhelming, I wanted to offer you a quick post with links to all of my favorites.
Here are a few of my favorite posts on Binkies and Briefcases:
1. The Road and The Light: Some of you may know that our son is adopted and has had more than his fair share of struggles. I wrote this post during one of the darkest times in our lives, but it is still one of my favorites because it reminds me that no matter what you are going through, there is always hope. You can read more of his story in my Adoption and Special Needs section.
2. My grandmother’s Hot Milk Cake recipe– Now that she is gone, I treasure this recipe and make it almost every holiday.
3. My Girl’s $0 Reading Nook: This is my favorite space in our house, and it was free.
4. Moms Are People Too– To be honest, I forgot I had written this post until it popped up again the other day. After re-reading it, I think it might help some other moms who may be struggling, like I did, with the transition into motherhood.
Here is what you should know about me:
Yes, I’m a momma who loves Jesus and lives in Amish country. I also love brownie batter, cheeseburgers, and Twilight movies (I know, that last one is sad. Please don’t run away.) I’m far from perfect and very willing to over-share those less than perfect moments with you.
I advocate for adoption, love an acceptance of all people, and fight hard for social change. I also like to share light-hearted funny stories, family recipes, and crafts. So sometimes the blog bounces all over, but I try to focus on keeping my heart in the right place. If you are interested, you can read more in my About Me section.
I hope you will stick around and take a little time to explore the blog! I would love to connect with you on Facebook and hear what you have to say, too.
Stephanie,
Obviously you’re not dumb or stupid about this, but listen, boys and girls ARE NOT built the same, therefore, you, as a consumer/parent need to keep that in mind when shopping around for clothes.
Further, your little ones as they grow, are NOT going to grow at the same pace. That said, yeah, the clothes which you seek, you’re going to have to shop around for. Period.
I have heard a few rebuttals to my now infamous blog post lately saying that boys’ clothes *should* be bigger because boys are just built bigger than girls. So I reached out to a professor of Human Development to see if that was true. Are young boys physically bigger?
Nope. Not while they are preschoolers and not while they are tweens.
At least not according to Development through the Life Span (6th ed). by Laura E. Berk (Boston, MA: Pearson). 2013. (This is a college text book used to train nurses.)
“At age 6, the average North American child weighs about 45 pounds and is 3 1/2 feet tall. Over the next few years, children add about 2 to 3 inches in height and 5 pounds in weight each year. Between ages 6 and 8, girls are slightly shorter and lighter than boys. By age 9, this trend reverses as girls approach the dramatic adolescent growth spurt, which occurs two years earlier in girls than in boys.” p. 290.
So, up to age 6, boys and girls are built pretty much exactly the same. Then there is a very small time that girls may be shorter or lighter, but by age 9 the girls are actually taller than the boys. Walk into any 4th grade classroom and you can see that this is true. On average, boys don’t become physically larger until adolescence, which happens later for them.
So, sorry to be a bubble burster, but there is no scientific reason that our young daughters’ clothing should be cut so much smaller.
The text book can be found here: http://goo.gl/1BXFlA
The CDC growth chart for girls can be found here: http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set2clinical/cj41c072.pdf
CDC growth chart for boys can be found here:
http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set1clinical/cj41c021.pdf
Love this and all your resources to.back.it.up!!
There is NO reason for a toddler,girls,tween,teens shorts crotch to be longer then the legs. Keep it up!!! We love you.
I would also like to add that Stephanie, and all of us who shop for our girls, ARE shopping around for what fits OUR kids – the issue is that almost ALL of the offerings at various stores, not only Target or only Kohl’s, are cut too short/tight to be acceptable in the colors/styles that our children will actually wear.
I’m totally fine buying shorts or shirts in the boys section for my daughter – but she would not wear them unless they fit her style (yes, she’s only 6, but I’m not willing to fight that fight every single morning, and would end up wasting money on clothes she refuses to wear).
The point is that we don’t want a custom sizing or even a sizing overhaul really, its the tightness and revealing cuts of ALL the sizes that’s at issue here.
I agree, Stephanie! My daughter has been generally taller than all the boys in her preschool consistently for the past 2 years (she got her height from her 6’+ dad). And it frustrates me that her shorts get shorter. I try to go a size or two bigger, but I find myself having to cinch and stitch the waistline so it won’t fall down. I had to get creative and find capri pants for her to hem as shorts. And my younger daughter is starting to go through this problem now.
Thank you so much for speaking out and bringing this to attention. My daughters and I can’t thank you enough!
A few years back, I reached out to target with a letter that my daughter helped to write and did not receive an appropriate response…so I sure am glad you did. My daughter’s favorite color is blue. She likes super hero’s, not princesses and she likes her shorts to come just above her knee and she likes to have room in her shirts. To find all of those qualities in clothes, we have resorted to shopping in the boys section. I love that you are bringing awareness to this and applaud you for making changes. It is appaling what you find in stores!!
I Love what you’re doing! But I have a couple comments on the matter. We often have to go with the shorter toddler shorts for my 2 yr old because she is still in diapers and in barely in a 24month size. The longer shorts are just too long on her little legs. They almost become capris on her. Also, you said something about jeans in one of your articles, but my 6yr old Needs the slender fit. She is tall for her age, but slim. To get pants that don’t swallow her, we need the slim fit.
With that being said, please mention to target that just because a girl is not in the little girl sizes, does not mean she is no longer a little girl. The young girl clothes are not a “cute” and they’re so much more edgy. She’s 6, not a pre teen!
Thanks!
How exciting!
Hello! I’m one of those moms whose choir you were preaching to. I’ve followed you and I’m very glad I have. I’ll be tuned in
I’m not Always thrilled with the choices for my 17 year old as well. It is very difficult to find appropriate clothes for her that don’t scream old lady. But I will not compromise on her being appropriately dressed…..and fortunately neither will she.
I’m happy you are taking this on. As a mother of two girls, aged 15 and 10, I know exactly what you are talking about. My oldest is 5’7″ and has been since she was 13. To find shorts that fit the fingertip length has always been a challenge not to mention she is athletic so she has to wear sizes too big in the waist just to fit properly and not cut into her hips because of being too tight. Last year after visiting 5 local stores we got so fed up and went online and purchased from J Crew because you could pick your inseam length. I wish you luck in changing how retailers stock their stores. Nothing is more disconcerting than shopping with your impressionable girls to find only sexy clothes fit for bar hopping in the children’s section. Just for athletic wear we threw in the towel long ago and go straight to the boys section for longer shorts. Good luck!
I would just like Target (bc I too LOVE the store) to continue their Toddler styles through size 10. I feel like when I am crossing the isle to the girl’s side, I am shopping to take them clubbing.
A similar topic that I find at Target (and many other stores) is a lack of variety in the toddler boys section. It seems there are twice as many toddler clothes for girls as there are for boys. Maybe the difference isn’t that dramatic, but I remember this problem with my now 16 year-old, and I’m experiencing it all over again with my 4 year-old grandson. That’s just another topic idea to explore.
I love this. I have been complaining for years about this, ad I have 3 daughters. Shopping at Macy’s for my 17 year old almost gave me a heart attack. The shorts were ALL booty shorts. Even she doesn’t want her butt advertised. Too much cleavage in the shirts. Dresses too skimpy. This is where the toddlers are headed. The clothes don’t get longer as they grow. Some parents need to mind what their kids are wearing.
Kudos for writing what many many many (a LOT!) of parents feel. Thank you for taking the time to write it out cleverly, carefully, and bravely. We support you. We will continue to gollow this and do what we can to help. I am the mom who sews, adds on, repurposes, goes a suze up, girlifies boy clothes to be appropriate for my 5yr old. Thank you Target for listening. Wal-Mart, listen up. We want more modest clothing for our daughters.