Watching daughter spit on her hand / wipe the baby's face Maybe we need to send this to Ms. Palin

[seemslikeadream]

[Stinky The Clown]

1. Actually, I thought that was one of the few cute moments of the whole week.

The circumstances that brought it to our attention are far less than wholesome, but to see a little kid loving a littler kid is very sweet.

[fed_up_mother]

2. I agree.

What mom hasn't done that to slick down a child's hair at one time or another? She was just imitating what the older members of the family are doing.

I thought it was cute.

[seemslikeadream]

8. Do you think it is cute to use a Downs baby as a prop?

[fed_up_mother]

15. I don't think it's cute to use any kids as props

Kids with downs syndrome aren't necessarily fragile, you know. It's expected that family members show up, although the "fiance" in attendance was a bit over the top, imo.

[seemslikeadream]

18. He was premature also and I do believe both would have been a reason

not to bring him out with thousands of people, like taking him to a rock concert, would you have done that?

[fed_up_mother]

20. If the rock concert was too loud, no I wouldn't

I gave birth to a very premature child, but after a few months home, he went everywhere we went.

[The Straight Story]

75. If she hadn't of brought him people would complain that she was hiding him and ashamed

if she brought the rest of the kids.

People will always find something to criticize those we don't like :)

[mamalone]

39. Actually....

most babies with Down syndrome do have a somewhat compromised immune system. It just made me cringe when I saw that little guy out amongst so many people, being passed around and with seemingly no special accommodations being made for him. I have two kids with DS and when they were infants their immune systems were very very weak. I did bring them out places, of course- by that age they were getting several different types of therapies. But, I was extremely careful about where they went, and who they were in contact with. Never... and I do mean never, were they handed around from person to person, and the largest crowd they were ever in was a church service. I would occasionally let others hold them, but only after they had carefully washed their hands, and they always had a blanket between themselves and the baby. You might think I am over protective, but I wasn't all that unusual. If you have a kid with a health concern, you do what you need to do to keep them healthy.

Well, at least most of us do :(

[Karenina]

41. Poor Trig will most certainly have picked up one bug or other by now...

[mamalone]

43. I really really hope not...

When my daughter was an infant and she'd get sick, she'd get really really sick, really really fast. And we'd inevitable end up in the emergency room with her on an IV drip... she'd get dehydrated within hours. She's 15yo now and a happier healthier gal you'll never meet:D

[orleans]

56. with a health concern or not--i can't imagine bringing any baby to

an event like that--with so many people, the loudness/music, clapping, germs!

[Stinky The Clown]

21. Do you thnk that's what was being said?

Jeeze .... some people crab to crab.

The OP was a narrow construct. Down Syndrome, kids-as-props, etc., was not part of it.

[seemslikeadream]

26. It was a given for anyone that has been paying attention

you knew the baby was premature and downs, didn't you?

[Stinky The Clown]

38. Yes I did.

That doesn't changed what surely appeared to be (and I will be actually **was**) a moment of honest love and tenderness between two siblings - a child and an infant.

[Maureen1322]

59. Me too.

[yellowdogintexas]

77. little Piper is just plain cute. nt

[BrklynLiberal]

7. I beleive it was in either Daily Show or Colbert. They showed it when talking

about how to fix McSame's hair, I think.


It was an adorable gesture, by a loving sister...but as was said, the baby, and the other younger children should have been home, asleep.

[mamalone]

40. I agree it was adorable...

and I also agree that the kids should have been home and in bed.

[LisaL]

12. Have you ever heard of germs?

[SmileyRose]

65. Germs?? How is spit on a head different than a kiss on the head?

I'm fascinated that anyone would even post a thread like this implying that spit on a baby's head is abusive or dangerous. Next thing you know we'll be making kissing each other illegal.

:crazy:

[ogneopasno]

3. No, I thought it was cute.

Five-year-olds are awesome. There are much better things to mock than this.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

4. That moment was adorable, but

that infant should have been home in his crib instead of paraded around like a prop to conceal Bristol's growing belly or serve as a tribute to Sarah's fecundity. Poor little guy got handed around like a sack of potatoes.

That, in my opinion, is not what a good mother does to her baby.

[seemslikeadream]

6. Correct baby prop should not have been there

[BrklynLiberal]

5. That is one of the funniest things I have ever seen....

[madrchsod]

9. it was cute but for god`s sake why was that child there

i know that there`s women where my wife works who were appalled

[seemslikeadream]

10. Why was the child there?

prop

[onenote]

11. all children -- young and old -- are paraded at conventions at props

I didn't see any evidence that being there was upsettng the baby or any of the other kids, just as I didn't see any evidence that being present at the DNC was in any way upsetting to Obama and Biden's kids -- little or adult.

[madrchsod]

13. the baby has down syndrome

and should have never been on the stage....read this and i think you`ll agree

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/special/birth/339.html

my wife works with adults that has down syndrome

[fed_up_mother]

17. Babies with down's syndrome are varied and unique.

He's a member of the family and was safe and secure in the arms of the people who love him.

Imo, that's better than being left in Alaska with a babysitter.

[Seeking Serenity]

22. What does the child having Down Syndrome have to do with anything?

All candidates, D & R, bring their children out with them, particularly on big occasions. Obama has his children on the cover of some check-out stand magazine I saw today.

Candidates use their children to burnish their family creds. Both parties.

Why are we doing this? It's insane!

[onenote]

25. yep. we have important issues with how mccain/palin would govern

but instead some people want to focus on the presence of a baby at a convention. That's as self-defeating a strategy as I can imagine.

If the public was going to be outraged at the baby's presence, that outrage would've surfaced. Trying to rachet it up into an issue now is pointless faux outrage.

Is there a soul on DU who would honestly feel any more comfortable with McCain and Palin if she hadn't brought that baby to the convention? I sure as heck hope not.

[dogtag]

27. He's not a 'child'

He's a four month old baby. That's the difference, IMO.

[Seeking Serenity]

28. So what? What's the difference?

This is all hysteria on steroids.

[onenote]

24. I don't agree

There isn't anything in what you linked to suggest that taking a four month old baby with Down Syndrome to an event in an arena -- be it a sporting event or a political convention or a concert -- is any more problematic than taking any other child to such an event. The baby showed no signs of any discomfort.

Yes, it was a prop. But so are all candidate's children. There was no reason for the family to 'hide' the baby.

I have a world of problems with McCain and Palin. Elevating the presence of the baby at the convention into a problem diminishes the real things we ought to be concerned about -- where the repub ticket, if elected, will take this country being first and foremost.

[LisaL]

55. The children with Downs syndrome are prone to infections.

Do you think it's a good idea to pass around such a child, from one person to the next?
I doubt it benefits the child in any way.

[onenote]

58. Its Down Syndrome

If you're going to act like an armchair expert, at least get your terminology correct.

So do you think all Down babies should be put in a plastic bubble?
I have a colleague with a Down Syndrome child. When it was a baby, it wasn't hidden away when people came over to visit. We were encouraged to interact with the baby. THe baby did fine.

It wasn't like the baby was being treated like a beach ball at a buffet concert.

[mamalone]

60. If you want to be picky about terminology...

It isn't appropriate to say a "Down Syndrome child"... better to say a child with Down syndrome:)

And I do think there is a bit of difference between encouraging visitors to one's home to interact with a child and bringing the same infant out to such a public arena for such extended periods of time, and allowing so many people such access to him. I am a mother of two children with Ds and I would have never, and I do mean never allowed my children to be placed in such a situation at such a young age. But, hey... maybe that's just me.

[seemslikeadream]

72. It wasn't like the baby was being treated like a beach ball at a buffet concert.

YES HE WAS

[madrchsod]

14. the child will be a prop then someone else`s problem

she`s never going to make it to the mother of the year pageant.

[tannybogus]

16. That was the only picture in weeks of watching Rethugs

that I thought had any authenticity and showed some kindness. The rest has been a blur of hateful people saying hypocritical things.

I agree that the kids probably shouldn't have been there. What do you expect from parents who fool their kids about where they are going

when they are going to be dropped into the middle of a shitstorm? Flinging them into the middle of Gustav wouldn't have been much worse.

I'll bet the parents of the year didn't do a damn thing after to explain or try to orient those children.

That was one moment in time that I smiled at, and I just hope that little girl retains a semblance of that love. Only hope I saw!

[tammywammy]

19. I thought that was a very sweet moment between two kids

[ColbertWatcher]

23. Those are fuckin' hilarious! n/t

[sufrommich]

29. I agree with most here ,whether these kids are being used

as props or not,it was an adorable moment between big sis and the baby.

[seemslikeadream]

30. It was a very irresponsible thing to do and you may want to do a recount on that many thing

[sufrommich]

33. Spit preening a babies hair is irresponsible how?It was a

five year old tenderly caring for a baby the way 5 year olds do,for christ sake.I don't hold Sarah Palin's kids responsible for her politics,they're kids,what is the point of raking a 5 year across the coals?

[seemslikeadream]

35. I think you should check again she's 17? 18?

and the baby was 4 1/2 months old preemie with Downs in a auditorium of thousands of people

[sufrommich]

37. It was her younger daughter ,Piper, doing the preening.

Downs babies are no more fragile that any other baby and the baby did not seem distressed in the least.

[seemslikeadream]

44. I'm talking about Bristol licking her hand with her tongue and then wiping the baby

[seemslikeadream]

45. I'm talking about Bristol licking her hand with her tongue and then wiping the baby

[B2G]

46. It was Piper, not Bristol

And it was adorable.

[seemslikeadream]

47. I am talking about Bristol doing it I saw her

I guess the whole famiily likes to spit on the baby then

[B2G]

49. Whatever

You do realize that Bristol is 17, right? Where did you see this?

[renate]

52. ew... not so cute if Bristol did it too... when Piper did it, it was adorable

What you said--"I guess the whole family likes to spit on the baby then"--was pretty funny though!

[Seeking Serenity]

48. It was adorable. Made me tear up, reminding me that my children

are no longer babies and pre-schoolers.

(Looking forward to grandchildren now.)

[LisaL]

54. No more fragile than other babies?

You couldn't be more wrong. Children with Downs syndrome are prone to infections and could have other health issues, such as heart and intestinal problems.
http://www.newbornbabyzone.com/health-safety/what-are-the-health-problems-that-affect-your-newborn-baby-with-down-syndrome/

[Cleita]

31. Do you get the impression that the siblings are being used

as unpaid nannies while momie dearest pursues her political career?

[seemslikeadream]

32. YES

[sufrommich]

34. Statements like this are what the republicans will

cite as sexist.Do you worry about who is taking care of the Obama kids? Dislike for a candidate is one thing ,blasting a woman for being derelict in raising her children because she chooses a life beyond motherhood is another.I'm sure there is a nanny in both campaigns since both have small kids.

[seemslikeadream]

36. Excuse me we are talking about a 4 1/2 old preemie with Downs

[Cleita]

42. Surely there are nannies for both families. The question is, is she using her children as

nannies instead of hiring child care givers to look after them? That's a form of child abuse. Now I know there are poor mothers who have had to leave small children with relatives, even older children, to put food on the table. There are career women who hire nannies to take care of their children as well and I'm sure relatives help out if the nanny quits or is sick, but why wasn't that baby left outside of that convention being cared for by those people? Why? Could it be that the primary care giver was there with her boyfriend? Could it be that all those times she was in charge of the younger siblings, the only dating she could get in with Levi was on the living room couch? I'll leave it there.

[onenote]

62. Child abuse?

Oh for heaven's sake. That's just stupid.

[seemslikeadream]

64. Car seat? Defend her for that one, please?

Her kids are only props for her and she gets away with it cause the kids are off limits

[Cleita]

71. So you can't defend your position,

so you just call it stupid? Says a lot about where you get your opinions.

[onenote]

73. I hardly need to defend my position

Stating that having children take care of their younger siblings is a form of child abuse -- which is the statement I was responding to -- is self--evidently stupid. If you need to have it explained to you why its not child abuse -- and why claiming it is doesn't help Obama...Well, that would speak for itself as well.

By the way little miss insinuator -- tell me, where do you think I get my opinions.

[Cleita]

74. Oh, don't get your panties in a wad!

We saw that abuse evident on stage that night with the poor baby, as Ron Reagan pointed out.

He said, "That baby was passed around like a bong at Burning Man."

[onenote]

61. And no other family has older children care for younger ones?

Go try to sell the argument that its inappropriate for parents to rely on their children to take care of their infant siblings in working class areas of PA, WVA, Ohio, etc. See how that goes over.

You think Obama's children are paying someone to watch over them while he and Michelle campaign?

Of course not. And suggesting that Palin is a bad mom because she is pursuing a career while she has young children is something I would have hoped never to have seen here at DU.

[seemslikeadream]

63. And getting away with not restraning the baby in a car seat??

Some of us would surely be chastize for that!! She gets away with crap because the kids are off limits

[Cleita]

70. It's called the Cinderella syndrome.

Although it's been coined for third world countries, where the girls in a family are charged with caring for siblings and doing household chores before they are allowed to go to school. Wasn't Bristol out of school for many months while Sarah was pregnant?

Here read this article about it. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/17/outlook.development1

The research shows that the needs of girls are the first to be sacrificed. If they are needed at home, their education is sacrificed; if there is economic hardship, they miss out on medical care. They are pulled out of school to care for sick siblings; they are kept back to do household chores or to work in factories, rock quarries or to be domestic help.

[Deb]

50. lol, I was expecting this-

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x22790

[seemslikeadream]

51. They all love that licking thing

:rofl:

[tannybogus]

57. LOL! Now that was NOT adorable! nt

[Retrograde]

53. Where was the father?

I was a little girl myself once. I was nearly 4 when my sisters(twins) were born, and I was thrilled to have a couple of real dolls to play with. It used to make me feel so grown-up to be "helping" my mother with the babies: she would let me hold a bottle for one of them, or let them be next to me on the couch (always with my mother or grandmother in the room, and I wasn't allowed to pick them up by myself.) Watching the shot of the little girl and the infant reminded me of that: she's got her own little doll to play with.

But she's not in her living room, with a competent adult in case of problems. She was in a large, crowded arena, under the media lights and cameras, with a 4-month old in her lap, while her father was - what was he doing? Was he paying attention to either of them?

I don't have many problems with older children - teenagers, for example - helping care for their little siblings. It can teach them some responsibility, and help create bonds. Based on what I've seen this week - and remember the convention was carefully scripted to show us what the GOP wanted us to see - both Gov. and Mr. Palin seen rather distant from their children. The kids carry the baby except for photo-ops.

A lot of people found it adorable. I found it disturbing. If the infant was dirty, or hot, or sweaty, shouldn't the father have stepped in and done something?

ETA: I think it would have been better to have the little boy, and maybe even the youngest girl, backstage with Todd Palin, or a relative, or even a party aide, until after the speech. Then bring them out to show everyone if you must.

[YvonneCa]

66. Guys, Obama says the kids are off limits...

...and I agree with him. How about you?

[seemslikeadream]

67. Politically he has to say that, we do not have to let her get away with this

PRO LIFE BULLSHIT

AND IF YOU THINK THE ASSHOLES ON FAUX NEWS WOULD LEAVE OBAMA'S KIDS ALONE IF THIS STUFF WAS COMING OUT ABOUT THEM............

[YvonneCa]

68. Faux news behavior will never...

...define me. ALL the kids are off limits. Period.

[seemslikeadream]

69. Even when she puts their lives in danger?

I would think you'd want to put the spot light on this to save their lives

[Hawkeye-X]

76. Do you have this in a bigger size?

Let me know!

Hawkeye-X

[seemslikeadream]

78. I'll make one for you

:hi:

[seemslikeadream]

79. I'm getting there