I was encouraged by a notice on Twittermoms about a contest on Care.com to share one of my personal encounters with people who can't mind their own business when it comes to raising other people's children.  So below is one of the many stories that inspire the No Baby Talk Blog and clothing line.  Feel free to share your stories and comments with us.

I was in Central Park with my daughter playing in the sand box.  My daughter decided to have a snack composed of two handfuls of sand.  Many parents gave their disapproving looks, which I shrugged off.  But one parent came up to me to tell me that I should not allow my daughter to eat sand. 

Now, I could have explained myself and my particular beliefs on germs and the cleanliness of living in Manhattan, or given her a earful about cleaning effects of sunlight and rain. I could have reminded her that her child had terrible playground manners (all take and no give).  I could have told her that there are some things worth upsetting your child about and I had already resolved to myself that sand eating was not one of those issues worth crying about. 

Here is a video of her eating sand a week before in Martha's Vineyard, you can see how much she loved it (for a couple weeks). 

BUT instead I simply admitted I was a terrible parent, and told her that I already started saving for my daughter's future therapy sessions.  That ended it.

Another parent came over to congratulate me and wished they could stop getting in arguments in the playground over these types of issues.  And I realized, I should take the shirts I made for Stoney and her friends and expand it, and make it available to the public for sale.

Because sometimes you just don't feel like arguing, on those days you can dress your child in NO BABY TALK clothing and suddenly you don't have to defend yourself, the shirt says it all.......      

Have you ever been annoyed by someone talking to your child?  Was it because they spoke in Gibberish? 

I have never believed in speaking to children in anything other than adult language.  When my daughter was born in September 2007 everyone said that I would change.  And I did, I became more resolved than ever to discourage people from speaking to my child in words that were nonsense. 

I began to research and was happily satisfied to see that my concerns were echoed by speech therapists and specialist all over the world.  But that did not satisfy me, I was on a mission to eradicate "echoing of nonce-forms" (made up words) while supporting "infant directed speech" (speaking slowly and raising/lowering to gain child's attention). 

My form of revolt?  I made my 3 month old daughter wear shirts that said "Don't Retard My Development, No Baby Talk".  And then another, "Speak Clearly - No Gibberish".  Then I made them for her friends, "Enunciate, No Baby Talk" and "KITY (keep it to yourself) - No Baby Talk").
Then I started to realize that people in general feel that it is appropriate to talk to you and your baby, touch you and your baby, and give you and your baby unsolicited advice (even when your baby is still in the womb).  And so NO BABY TALK expanded.  I began to dress my daughter in shirts that embodied popular sayings to children but turned around as a lesson or reminder of polite habits to adults.  And thus were born the sayings, "Wash Your Hands", "No Touching", and the most direct, "No Advice".


I hope to make this a very useful blog by linking to much of the research and giving people a chance to comment.   Consider this blog a support group for mom's who just don't have to be polite anymore to rude people. 

Please feel free to share your stories of rudeness, or offer new design suggestions.  If we love your suggestions or stories we may design a new shirt for the line, and send you a free one for your child.

Thank you for joining us and we hope you spread the word - NO BABY TALK!

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