Katie Holmes gives Suri "adult" candy

[southcitymom]

You probably missed my post (#46, page 2), that explained my reasons for the "stretch", so that it makes more sense.

oh_gal - you are absolutely right - I responded before reading your follow-up, which I appreciated!

 

[tlcya]

I agree it is inappropriate for the items to be right out there in plain view of an area you can hardly avoid while partonizing the business which is supposed ot be an eatery.

I am not sure I can say it is inappropriate for Suri to have been taken there as most reports I have seen say this establishment is a mainstream upscale eatery and I do not know that Katie expected to encounter such graphicly adult items there. When I go out to an upscale ice cream parlor, cafe, I do not anticipate there being an adult toy store in the entry.

To me, whether it was inappropriate really depends on what her parents knew (ie were they aware these items were there and they would be perusing them with their little one in tow or were they unaware?).

 

[Kimberlyd125]

IMO As a parent, when you see it, you turn around and walk out.
You don't stand around with your child in reaching distance of the products.

 

[southcitymom]

Even the title of this thread (no offense to davehead21!) is alarmist: "Katie Holmes gives Suri "adult" candy." But hey, we all read too much TMZ, so it's easy to go there.

A few weeks ago, I took my 8 and 10 year old boys into a gas station/convenience store where (right next to the candy aisle of course), there was an enormous locked glass case filled with bongs and pipes and other pot smoking paraphernalia. A great number of the bongs were shaped like penises. My kids were slapped up against that case quicker than you could say "Yikes" and if they had been able to open it, they would have grabbed the nearest penis-shaped bong they could have reached.

I used it as a teaching moment. Bongs and penises don't bother me and I don't mind talking to my boys about them. But still, I did think to myself - thank God there aren't strangers with cameras following me around! And I did, of course, make a mental note not to frequent that retailer with my kids in tow.

 

[tlcya]

If you are TomKat and can't go anywhere without bodyguards, cars, guards, paparazzi, turning around and walking out may not be an option for safety reasons. I am betting a seurity team plans their outings pretty thouroughly as to arrival, departure, arrange the car to be in a certain spot, etc.

While I may be able to decide, hey, we are outta here, that decision may not be as open to them on the spur of the moment. It may take them a few minutes to coordinate a leave. Life in the fishbowl, that is what worries me for that little girl.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Ok, then you walk to a different part of the store. It's not that hard to get a 5 year old out of the eyeshot of adult novelties IMO.
It's our job.

 

[peeples]

Even the title of this thread (no offense to davehead21!) is alarmist: "Katie Holmes gives Suri "adult" candy." But hey, we all read too much TMZ, so it's easy to go there.

A few weeks ago, I took my 8 and 10 year old boys into a gas station/convenience store where (right next to the candy aisle of course), there was an enormous locked glass case filled with bongs and pipes and other pot smoking paraphernalia. A great number of the bongs were shaped like penises. My kids were slapped up against that case quicker than you could say "Yikes" and if they had been able to open it, they would have grabbed the nearest penis-shaped bong they could have reached.

I used it as a teaching moment. Bongs and penises don't bother me and I don't mind talking to my boys about them. But still, I did think to myself - thank God there aren't strangers with cameras following me around! And I did, of course, make a mental note not to frequent that retailer with my kids in tow.

I have 5 little boys and your story has my husband I laughing so hard i'm about to cry LOL!!!

I just cannot decide if my boys would have stood there so shocked they couldn't speak or if they would have had their noses pressed against the glass like your boys did!!! LOL

 

[peeples]

Ohh and our Spencers Gifts store has adult gummies LOL my 3 yr old would soo grab them and try to get me to buy them, having no idea what they were in the shape of

 

[eleven]

It amazes me how people think candy in the shape of a penis is "soooo inappropriate" (Oh no, not a PENIS!) when honestly, I think the nightly news can be far more inappropriate than a stupid candy shaped like a penis.

People are so hung up about bodies, it's unreal. There was a post about mardi gras beads in the shape of body parts....as if that is really going to mess up a kid. We all have bodies, and I guarantee if people weren't so hung up and uptight about bodies, our kids would be in alot better shape mentally and emotionally.

To me, a kid would be far more troubled by the images on the nightly news than a box of penis gummies. So, if a parent watches the nightly news with all the horrific stories, footage and re-enactments of violence, murder and rape, with the kid in view...but would NEVER allow viewing of a candy penis or "body shaped beads".....is that a better parent?

The definition of inappropriate is relative.

 

[oh_gal]

I think the key, here, whether we're talking about body parts or graphic violent images on television is parental involvement. I would not want my child to experience either of those things, along with about 2,537 others. But that's just me.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Just reposting the picture from upthread.
I don't see how anybody can think it's ok for this child to be close to these items.

Again, it's not just a box of gummies. LOOK at the items on the shelf.

 

[southcitymom]

It amazes me how people think candy in the shape of a penis is "soooo inappropriate" (Oh no, not a PENIS!) when honestly, I think the nightly news can be far more inappropriate than a stupid candy shaped like a penis.

People are so hung up about bodies, it's unreal. There was a post about mardi gras beads in the shape of body parts....as if that is really going to mess up a kid. We all have bodies, and I guarantee if people weren't so hung up and uptight about bodies, our kids would be in alot better shape mentally and emotionally.

To me, a kid would be far more troubled by the images on the nightly news than a box of penis gummies. So, if a parent watches the nightly news with all the horrific stories, footage and re-enactments of violence, murder and rape, with the kid in view...but would NEVER allow viewing of a candy penis or "body shaped beads".....is that a better parent?

The definition of inappropriate is relative.

Great post, eleven. And that's where I land with it. Mankind has been replicating the sexual organs of men and women via many different mediums since.....forever ago.

When my goddaughter was about Suri's age, she loved watching The Baby Story, which showed everything about a women's nether regions. Her mom didn't consider that "inappropriate" and neither did I.

Showing a child *advertiser censored* is wrong because it's meant to titillate, and it's completely NOT cool for an adult to try to arouse a child sexually. But gummy penises aren't titillating - they're just a gag item.

I do agree that we get scared about kids and private body parts - and I respect that, for the most part, this fear stems from not wanting to steal their innocence or introduce them to subject matter they aren't ready to fully process.

But, stuff like this happens to parents and I am a big fan of being gentle with parents. Most of us, Katie and Tom included, I'm sure, are doing the very best we can by our kids. And most of us have our kids and/or the world throw us curve balls left and right. A sense of humor is a parent's best friend!

 

[southcitymom]

Just reposting the picture from upthread.
I don't see how anybody can think it's ok for this child to be close to these items.

Again, it's not just a box of gummies. LOOK at the items on the shelf.

In all honesty, I don't see anything that jumps out at me on that shelf. One of the boxes might say *advertiser censored*, but I can't tell.

In any event, I am quite sure that Katie didn't linger once she took notice of anything she didn't want her daughter to grab. I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. That's really what it comes down to because, imho, this kind of situation could happen to anyone with a kid.

 

[tk71texas]

and everytime my 13yr old puts of the groceries i get a nice show before the tube of hamburger goes in the fridge.....kids will be kids. I'd rather educate than shield them from it.

 

[southcitymom]

I think the key, here, whether we're talking about body parts or graphic violent images on television is parental involvement. I would not want my child to experience either of those things, along with about 2,537 others. But that's just me.

How old is your child, oh_gal?

Parental involvement is key - you are correct. Those of us who have had our children inadvertently exposed to naughty things might be more willing to see this as a parenting right of passage than an example of bad child-rearing.

 

[southcitymom]

and everytime my 13yr old puts of the groceries i get a nice show before the tube of hamburger goes in the fridge.....kids will be kids. I'd rather educate than shield them from it.

UBM

That's the way I feel - everything is a teaching opportunity! And shielding doesn't work past a certain age unless they never interact with other kids. Curiosity is one of the most powerful driving forces behind human psyches at any stage of development.

 

[tk71texas]

when my son was in 6th grade i found some very bad voice msgs on his phone from girls.....that was my wake up call. I've heard my son and his friends talk when I'm not around. You'd be suprised what they talk about, even in elementary school.

 

[peeples]

when my son was in 6th grade i found some very bad voice msgs on his phone from girls.....that was my wake up call. I've heard my son and his friends talk when I'm not around. You'd be suprised what they talk about, even in elementary school.

Oh I KNOW.. we have 2 sets of baby monitors still plugged in, in the house LOL

 

[mommy23]

Oh I KNOW.. we have 2 sets of baby monitors still plugged in, in the house LOL

Oh I so need to put baby monitors back in, espescially since we got a bigger house, and my oldest son ( 6.75 yrs lol just ask him) is on a different floor than the rest of us! I cannot hear anything from his room! Shoppin list~ Baby monitors, small hideable ones..... :floorlaugh:

We road trip a lot as mini vacations and such, and we LOVE small eccentric towns. The ones that have a bunch of small shops, local artists, history, etc... There are a few in every state

Anyways, we were window shopping on one of our excursions, and went into a coffee shop, for COFFEE, lol, and much to our surprise there were many shelves like the one in the picture. ANd mixed into those shelves were "normal" items, that would not be offensive. We didn't notice, we ordered coffee, after staring at the menu board, our 3 small kids were wandering about our feet, looking at the shelves, after we ordered, and turned around, we realized what they were viewing.... Edible panties were at the 2 yr olds eye level. But don't worry, they were organic :innocent: :floorlaugh:

Anyways, I see the point of not intentionally letting your kids see these things, but hey, those things are not illegal, and do not require being in an adult section of stores. They are considered "novelty" items, just like the old fashioned hand buzzers....:twocents:

 

[davehead21]

Oh I so need to put baby monitors back in, espescially since we got a bigger house, and my oldest son ( 6.75 yrs lol just ask him) is on a different floor than the rest of us! I cannot hear anything from his room! Shoppin list~ Baby monitors, small hideable ones..... :floorlaugh:

We road trip a lot as mini vacations and such, and we LOVE small eccentric towns. The ones that have a bunch of small shops, local artists, history, etc... There are a few in every state

Anyways, we were window shopping on one of our excursions, and went into a coffee shop, for COFFEE, lol, and much to our surprise there were many shelves like the one in the picture. ANd mixed into those shelves were "normal" items, that would not be offensive. We didn't notice, we ordered coffee, after staring at the menu board, our 3 small kids were wandering about our feet, looking at the shelves, after we ordered, and turned around, we realized what they were viewing.... Edible panties were at the 2 yr olds eye level. But don't worry, they were organic :innocent: :floorlaugh: Anyways, I see the point of not intentionally letting your kids see these things, but hey, those things are not illegal, and do not require being in an adult section of stores. They are considered "novelty" items, just like the old fashioned hand buzzers....:twocents:

BBM-- hahahahahaha!!!! How old are your kids? I picture a child who is learning how to sound out words...."E-ed-edib-l. Edible panties!! Mom, why would anyone want edible panties?!" :crazy: