Topic : 10/07 The Latest Debates

I have never responsed to a Dr. Phil subject before, but this one is really of concern to me. I don't understand why there can't be a happy medium.  Furthermore, I fail to understand how anyone can make the connection between a crack in someone's butt and a woman breastfeeding her baby.  I am a mother of a 23 month old and I am a strong advocate of breastfeeding.  I believe our society has put a cloud over the natural act of breastfeeding and turned it into something sexual, or worse, something that is gross and unattractive.  Well, who said feeding a baby was supposed to be attractive? I believe you people are confusing a beautiful act of nature and what society considers attractive.  And why is anyone staring at a mother trying to feed her baby?  Whether the mother is using a bottle or her breast, I believe the act of feeding her child is her business and hers alone.  I don't want to come across as a hypocrite since I did cover my baby with a light blanket every time I feed her in public. However, I would like to point out that I did not do this to assuage the emotions of others.  I did it simply because I am bashful and while I consider it perfectly natural to breastfeed, I just couldn't bring myself to expose my "boob" in public.  I was never concerned what others around me thought.  My only concern was how I felt about the complete exposure, so I covered up.  I do feel that the choice should be up to the mother and totally disagree with a breastfeeding mother being relegated to a disgusting, germ-filled bathroom to feed her baby.  Every time someone flushes a toliet, millions of germs float through the air.  It is a totally unsanitary condition (not to mention sometimes very smelly). 

I hope those of you who don't have children will one day have to walk in our shoes so you can feel what we feel when our little ones cry to be fed and we feel that society (at least a large part of it), says we can't. 

Recent research has said that breastfeeding helps prevent allergies in your child, it also gives more nutrients than formula as well as increasing your child's brain power. Do you not want the best for your child? It shouldn't matter if you pump or cover or not. Hats off to all the women who have had the guts to do it.  

Perhaps you missed my first statement (yes that was me on the stage)? I said "I am not against breastfeeding at all".  I just don't want people putting words into my mouth. Thank you. 

I can't believe that breastfeeding in public is even a debate!  If a baby can be bottlefed without a stuffy blanket over his head, than so should a breastfed baby.  And, no, they should not be fed in the bathroom-----GROSS!!  Would you eat in any public restroom?  And I wil not force my child to stop nursing because he has teeth or can walk just so someone else doesn't feel squeemish.  Have you seen how most toddlers eat.  If they are nursing, at least I know that they are getting some good nutrition in their diet, along with some comfort. 

I have no sympathy for the woman with three small children who said she cannot control her children because there are 3 of them and only 1 of her.  She was the one who decided to have the children, and the rest of us should not have to suffer her children's bad behaviour.  When she said she was having another baby, I nearly fell off the chair.  If she cannot control them, she should stay at home until they can behave in public. 

I have been in public places many, many times when children are running around screaming, pushing each other in shopping carts, and ducking underneath clothes racks, with no adults anywhere near by.  I find this very annoying and inconsiderate.  It is not an isolated occurence, but happens nearly every time I go shopping. 

As far as dining or watching a play or movie, any disturbance by a child should be dealt with immediately.  Children must be removed from the room immediately if they cannot be quieted.  If parents cannot do this, they should not bring children to the restaurant, movie, play, etc.  The rest of us should not be subjected to the bad behaviour of someone else's children.  It is a parent's job to socialize and control their children.  Period. 

i am having a hard time believing you are really 14. that is not written like a 14 year old and citizen 55 is a weird choice for your name? anyway, if you are- 

do you really think that warning someone= permission? when they tell you not to shoot someone do you think that encourages you to do it- now that you know there's a big bad thing out there, are you tempted to do it? this is all aside from the fact that killing, and a NATURAL act that almost every person will eventually engage in, are VERY different. anyway, if this is your view on the world you will be quite vulnerable to pressure and manipulation- THAT is the problem you should focus on...not whether teens who think they are ready for sex should have protection more easily accessible- since it IS going to happen for many teens, even if not for you. 

how about big bad things like stds? passing out of condoms only bolsters the seriousness of preventing stds, and the reality that you can be at risk...perhaps this thin layer of plastic will make  kids realize there isn't much between them and a disease or pregnancy- and maybe THAT will make them think twice! providing the condoms after the education is an exclamation point on the point "if you're going to do something, do it right"! would you rather your potential future partners be at risk for stds because they were too embarrased to be responsible- or for them to have one more tool in their belt to prevent these problems? why not, for those that will choose that route anyway? this rings true especially, if you think that only "stupid" or "bad" kids will have sex- those will be the kids having unwanted pregnancies too, if you don't help them out. if you must think that way, isn't it better to "save them from themselves"- and later for you and the welfare system? (clearly i am generalizing to make a point)... 

there is no situation i can think of where education doesn't equal power and control. with knowledge you have a much more likely chance of controlling the risks you face in day to day life- lessons are tools you use to avoid more problems in the future. denying kids the option of condoms does nothing but sweep the reality that sex is a part of life, under the rug. that never helped anyone that i know of. kids will make decisions based on the information at hand- that is all they know. when they know more, they do better. isn't that what Dr. Phil always says?