My question is:

Why do parents buy them?

if they didn't, there wouldn't be a market for them.

Moni

Why? Why else?

Because people buy them! If no one bought them, they wouldn't be offered anymore.

I don't think the little girls will have foot problems, I doubt they wear them every day. They are more for fun dress up occasions, I think they are cute!

One Christmas I bought Wizard of Oz "ruby slippers" for my daughter. They had maybe 2 inch plastic heels. She complained they hurt and wouldn't wear them. She's now a fashion major in college and all she wears are sneakers. Her favorites are pink and black stripes.

Parents are crazy, I swear they are nuts. It just infuriates me that a show like Toddlers and Tiaras is even permitted to be on television, all that does is feed the fuel that keeps pedophiles happy, I just don't see that is has any other redeeming qualities.

Unfortunately, I think this comes from celeb copy cats. Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's daughter has been photographed wearing heels since she was a toddler. Too many wannabes.

saw some 1" sandals yesterday at walmart...

i learned the hard way in jr hi...just had to wear heels to school..needless to say ended up going home with with very sore feet and headache...

taught my girls early on that heels arn't good for you, and usually got my way for dress up thru hs...

lol, the youngest is 35 and wore what i called omg shoes on her trip to vegas with sil last week...must admit she was stunning...but bet it will be a long time before she wears them again...

I tell the parents of my preschool students that comfortable shoes are a must. Even so, little Samantha's mother very often would bring her in hot pink high heels. How many times did I talk to the mom about this? A waste of breath. Not to mention the lipstick and eye shadow.

having had to wear heels most of my career and allowed to change while working inside the plane...I HATE HEELS!! even a one inch sends my feet screaming for flats...after the company having to foot the bill for so many foot surgeries they now allow us to wear flats...and I do...a nice little leather slip on...I have to wear slacks...but thats fine...anything to keep me out of a heel! The last time I wore a high heel was at my nephew's funeral after 9/11...I still miss them sometimes...but for the most part...their for someone else!! I tried on a Louboutin not long ago...thought I was gonna die just trying it on in the store!

I don't know where it comes from, but I call it sexulization of our little girls. Just look at the clothes for sale in the stores for grade school girls. I was surfing and tuned in to Toddlers & Tiaras, and one little girl had padded boobs and butt. Don't our kids grow up fast enough? Geesh! let them be kids as ling as they can. Probably pedophiles just love this new trend.

"Why do shoe manufactures make them? "

Because shoe manufactures will sell them.
If PARENTS would not buy them, they would not be made.

I agree, it's sexualization of little girls and I hate to see it.

Seems all they're teaching little girls today is how to be sexy! Don't get me started on this subject...

Oldgardener & dotmom, did you read what I wrote about Samantha?

Petaloid, yes I did and your post made me shake my head. I can't imagine what teachers have to deal with these days. Little Samantha has a dimwit for a mother and I'm so sorry for this little girl. I've said it so many times, too bad people don't have to take a test and be licensed to be a parent like we have to do to drive a car.

Yes. I work with 36 families of students each year. Most are fairly solid and sensible, but then there's Samantha's mom, and others like her.

High heels, low-cut pants, makeup, even bleached hair on four-year-olds.

But back to kittywhiskers' topic about the shoes, it's really important for growing children to wear good shoes to avoid problems later.

High heels may be okay for dress-up play, but not for everyday!

It's the slutting up of kindergarteners, and I blame the stupid mothers.

"I don't think the little girls will have foot problems, I doubt they wear them every day. They are more for fun dress up occasions, I think they are cute!"
Here is your answer. This is why!!!
YES, girls who wear heels will have feet/back/knee issues!! No little girls dressed up to be sexy and older than they are is not cute, it is ABUSE. We are a very sick society.

Can anyone here tell me about the mothers they know who 'buy into' all this? Are they fashion plates themselves...or are they fat and shapeless? Are they dressing their children as 'accessories to Mommy', or are they trying to live through their daughters?

Why do they?

Because a bunch o' folks are fool enough to buy 'em!

...

...

... will they be willing to support their teen when she comes home to announce a pregnancy?

Every road taken ... leads to a destination, or quite a few choices may be available.

Every action ... has a result: almost always they vary.

ole joyful

I call it prostitot dressing. It not only the sexulization either. It's a huge step backward for what women over the last couple of generations have fought for. Allegedly they want to be treated as equals and given respect. But apparently the pretty baby thing lives on.

Little girls are dressed not for playing outside and jumping, climbing and running. They are dressed as submissives and observers not participants.

I shudder of the practicality of how some toddlers are dressed. How you potty a little girl wearing a huge multi- layered tutu skirt? As a bit of a germaphobic I dressed my kids for for ease of running to the pot during those toddler years.

I got down on the floor to play blocks and do puzzles with my DD. I couldn't imagine taking good quality time away from my child to fuss with her hair or do her nails. We didn't go shopping. We went to the park.

I was the pariah of the neighborhood for sticking by my guns. Other photo-op mommies didn't like me much.

We had a couple of moms like that even back in the 70's on my block. Their DDs never went on to college, had babies in their teens and now work as barmaids. One is on facebook and she looks horrendous at the age of 35 with long boney face that looks like it's already had "work" done.

My DD who got teased by those 2 for not being a fashionista (she wore Healthtex through the 3rd or 4th grade, they wore Calvins at the age of 6.) is happily married to a man who adores her, has a college degree, has lived independantly, traveled abroad several times, loves to fish camp and has a personality that has her surrounded by friends.

Many of her friends who are living successful lives were raised much like her. The rest are still BBBs. My son calls them that...blond, bulimic barbies.

Hah! Are you all getting an ad in the right margin of this thread that advertises platform heels?

wildchild -- Love that: Prostitots.

Never mind the little girls,,,,I am still trying to figure out why they make high heels for grown women? Even more to the point, why do grown women put up with those damn things in the first place?

It reminds me of the super skimpy bikinis girls are dressed in at the beach. No way, no how with my kids. Too many perverts around in public places.

I dressed my daughter in smocked Polly Flinders dresses till she was in 5th grade. She'd be laughed out of school today. Today she is a successful woman with her Masters degree, a good marriage, and a great kid.

Funny how they ban toys that can injure a child, but they don't ban child sized heels. I agree that wearing them all the time can cause foot, calf, knee, and back problems.

The parents are either crazy or clueless.

There is a girl in our neighbourhood who was raised like that... I know her well. She had regular manicures and hair extensions by the time she was 11. Her mother raised her to value superficial things like that. Actually, when this girl started university, the mother and the daughter used to go to bars to pick up guys, and they had a particular affinity for hockey players. This girl graduated from medical school this year. It took her longer than most, partly because of some decisions she'd made, but she will be a very successful and independent woman. She IS very shallow, though, not surprisingly.

Maybe to get in training to deal with the heels that they'll meet, later in life?

(Of the human kind, I mean, in case you though I meant of the wearing kind).

Good message, wildchild.

ole joyful

I guess in my example, she's not a girl anymore, but a woman. I always think of her as in the age group when I spent the most time with her. Her mother still lives here and updates me on her from time to time.

Foot-binding, anyone? (Nicely described in "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan".)

A friend is recuperating from surgery to correct bunions and straighten two toes on one foot. She is a retired teacher. She stood all day in only moderately high heels; was always slim. When this foot heals...back for surgery on the other one. As we age, any 'parts' that we over-stressed throughout our lives are first to rebel.

I wonder who the bigger perverts are, the pedophiles people are so afraid of, or the pervert parents who drool over it, force it, abuse them, not unlike the pedophiles at all when you look at definition!

You should see some of the clothes out there in the TODDLER section!!

I have 2 DD's (3 & 6) and they have a few pairs of plastic dress-up disney ones that grandma bought. Maybe a 1/2" heel? I NEVER liked them wearing the heels for fear of falling and twisting their ankles! I'm an adult and can't stand heels! They would play in them for a couple minutes, realize they can't walk very well and then kick them off! Fine with me!

I've seen Toddlers and Tiaras and even showed my DH the show. It's so foreign to me-my kids would never stand to be spray tanned, hair curled for hours, makeup and fake teeth put in! I put a clip in their hair and 10 minutes later it's gone! But I enjoy that my girls love going to the playground, swimming pool, even playing in the dirt and all the other stuff kids are supposed to be doing! My DH is convinced it's the mothers living out their dreams in the DDs.

I know most high schools have dress codes for students, looks like they better start doing the same for preschooland up,clothing and makeup. Someone has to step up try to help these kids since the parents won't. At least if they can't dress like sluts in school it may help a little bit.

Years ago we used to dress up in Mom"s clothes and play with the dolls and doll house.Now we have our own heels and the kids are baby mommas.Some world we have made.There is nothing left to do.I know I won't see it in my life but we have to get back to basics.Lucy and Desi never slept in the same bed.Soon as you turne the TV on the couple has just met and they are rolling around on a sleep eez befor the next commercial,No more guessing game >Someone has taken all the fun out of everything.

Because there is a market for them.The mother's are young and stupid.They will grow up and one day they all will regret it.