my beautiful mommy

[kimmy]

Quote:

Tapping into what may be a growing market, a plastic surgeon has written and published a book for children of women who have cosmetic surgery procedures like breast implants, tummy tucks and nose jobs. 'My Beautiful Mommy' (Big Tent Books, May 2008) by Dr. Michael Salzhauer aims to reassure that mommy's bruises and bandages are just temporary, and that the new, improved mommy won't be different, just 'prettier.'

quoted from newsweek | health

is this really what our society has come to? we're teaching our kids now that mom isn't beautiful because of her personality or her caring nature, but because of her silicone and stomach staples? i wish i could say i was kidding about this article.

i'm not against plastic surgery in any way, there's a couple little things i wouldn't mind having done...but damn, to teach your kids that's the way to improve yourself. i think when kids are at the age where they still need picture books to understand things, we should be teaching them respect and understanding...there's plenty of time to teach them about fake tits and motor-oil lips when they're teenagers.

 

[xsnowwhite]

wow. I agree with you 100 %.

Its things like these that make me wonder what our society really is turning into

 

[purrtykitty]

Not cool. Perhaps he should have written a book about how to appreciate your body as is...not exactly in line with his business, but maybe it would help the younger generation have a less screwed-up perception of body image.

 

[lipstickandhate]

How stupid. You don't need to discuss everything with children. I feel that discussing your upcoming breast augmentation with your small child is disturbing and narcissistic. That's an example of poor boundaries, imo.

 

[*Stargazer*]

From everything I can figure out, no one (out there - not here in this post, kwim? )who is commenting on this book has actually READ it. There is this huge uproar over it, but every comment I see on it is based on one page and the cover picture.

 

[Jacq-i]

Maybe I'm nutso, but I think this book is a good idea.

There are all kinds of books that help reassure children that even though there are changes, everything will be okay. Books about how "divorce is okay" "cancer is okay" "moving is okay" and others.

From the pictures/text, I would have worded it in a different perspective. More like, mommy wants to look the way she used to or something like that.

However, I think this book should only be used for some kids. For the majority of kids, I hope they get to stay with their grandparents/relatives instead of seeing all the bruising and bandages after their mom's plastic surgery. Then when they get back, Mommy will just look a bit different, but the kids don't have to be scared as they watch the process.

 

[AmberLilith]

I do agree that children should be prevented from being scared because their parent is in hospital (And it could be their mum or dad...) or covered in bandages or being cared for as a result of cosmetic surgery rather than illness -it'd be scary to be a child and think your parent was going to die because he/she was in hospital. Especially when that's so far from the truth!

However, i do believe there should also be an emphasis on the fact that mum/dad is good looking anyway, but chooses to change their appearance; that no one thinks mum/dad is ugly, mum/dad is not ugly -he/she has just decided to make changes to their appearance, of their own free will.

It should also be explained that not everyone does this, that it is not so common that all their friends at school will have parents who have surgery too and that it is not what they 'should' do or would be expected to do when they grow up.

lipstickandhate:
I do agree with the idea that to some extent these things shouldn't be discussed with children: my view is that it should be phrased in an understanding way, eg: 'mum will be happier when she's had an operation' - rather than 'mum thinks her breasts are too small and wants them bigger' ??
I think giving a child too much awareness of unhappiness about body image at an early age will encourage them to develop an unhealthy body image -they learn, to an extent, how to view themselves from the examples provided by the adults around them.
Children should be able to grow up being happy about themselves and not obsessing about their body image.

 

[lipstickandhate]

Maybe they should make a book called "Mommy Died for Breasts: What to tell your children when casual surgery goes awry."