My "Teach your kids" series continues with boobs.
I so often hear the following argument against nursing in public:
"Young children shouldn't be seeing breasts, how inappropriate!"
Whether or not you breastfeed, please teach your children that humans are mammals, which by definition, have mammary glands to feed their young. The primary purpose of breasts, which contain those mammary glands, is for feeding babies.
Little kids won't learn that breasts are also sexual in nature and something "shameful" in the opinion of some people unless one (or both) of the following occurs:
1. We tell them that they are
2. We allow them to be influenced by outside sources (TV, movies, magazines, friends) where breasts are objectified without providing them with guidance
I want my daughters to grow up knowing that while they may see cleavage busting out of every teenager and celebrity they see, and that they will hear all sorts of talk of 2nd base and motorboating {but hopefully not until they're in college or even later}, their breasts are their own. They were not made primarily for the pleasure of men. I hope that they will take ownership of their bodies and not succumb to societal pressure to think of their breasts as nothing more than sexual playthings.
For the most part, the way our society and media operates right now involves sending children the message that it is okay {and even expected} for women to flaunt their breasts and cleavage anywhere and everywhere except for when they are using them as nature intended. I find this horribly sad and confusing for the impressionable. Breasts = great! Except when there is a baby attached. Then, it's gross all of a sudden. THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
Our daughters (and sons!) deserve better. Teach them that breasts are designed to feed babies. If they see a Mother breastfeeding her baby and they ask what is happening? That Mommy is feeding her baby. Some Mommies feed their babies with their breasts, some use bottles, and some use both. Simple as that.
