Clothing Police
For my friends in the non China adoption community, I give you these pictures of honest to gosh clothing police. You have often herd me speak of them. The Chinese believe that their babies must be kept warm no matter what the temp actually is. (although I have read that in the extreme summer heat exceptions are made) They dress their children in multiple layers and frown on others that do not do the same. The clothing police are not really police. This is just a name given to them by parents in the adoption community. They are mostly older ladies, ie grandmothers who won't think twice about approaching the baby and feeling their hands or cheeks to see if they are warm enough. They have also been known to feel the babies clothing checking to see how many layers the child is actually wearing or to pull down a paint leg or sleeve that has slipped up. I have even read of incidences where they will actually yell at you in Chinese if they feel that you have not dressed your child warmly enough. This is something adoptive parents have been informally trained to expect. I have learned many tricks from reading others blogs on ways to prevent this. Put tights under your babies pants, carry a receiving blanket with you at all times, put a hat on them just to name a few.
For my friends in the non China adoption community, I give you these pictures of honest to gosh clothing police. You have often herd me speak of them. The Chinese believe that their babies must be kept warm no matter what the temp actually is. (although I have read that in the extreme summer heat exceptions are made) They dress their children in multiple layers and frown on others that do not do the same. The clothing police are not really police. This is just a name given to them by parents in the adoption community. They are mostly older ladies, ie grandmothers who won't think twice about approaching the baby and feeling their hands or cheeks to see if they are warm enough. They have also been known to feel the babies clothing checking to see how many layers the child is actually wearing or to pull down a paint leg or sleeve that has slipped up. I have even read of incidences where they will actually yell at you in Chinese if they feel that you have not dressed your child warmly enough. This is something adoptive parents have been informally trained to expect. I have learned many tricks from reading others blogs on ways to prevent this. Put tights under your babies pants, carry a receiving blanket with you at all times, put a hat on them just to name a few.
5 comments:
I think I might be the American clothing police. There's nothing worse than seeing a parent all bundled up carrying a baby without socks. Drives me nutty! I feel like carrying around baby socks to hand out to cold little feet. LOL
Tiffany
This is so funny to me. I have heard of this. We are adopting from Taiwan and I have heard stories from parents, saying that when they picked their children up from the orphanage, they were bundled up and sweating and irritable. When they got them to their hotel and unlayered them they were much better. Can you imaging...I hate being hot!!
This is also true is Russia. We were inside the international airport in Moscow and Luke had multiple layers of clothing on to include a hooded snowsuit in March. I pulled Luke's hood part of the snowsuit off Luke's head because he was sweating profusly and a grandmother called Bubuska (sp?) in Russian came running over yelling at me and put the hood back on his head! Mind you it was about 80 degrees in this airport! What are you going to do?
Mary
Ok so can the truth out now? I have to admit I still watch you guys and the grandkids to sneak pats and touch faces to see how warm or cool you feel. It's that mother instinct and believe me you will get it the instant Abby is in your arms. Love you, mom
I just wanted to say that I try to keep up with your blog and added a link from my blog so I have easy access. Hope you dont mind. Good luck.
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