How to Raise Sugar Babies

Thank Goddess (that’s not a misprint, I have solid arguments that if there is a God, she’s female), my daughter, at sixteen, is past those preteen years where the idiocy of Skechers’ new Daddy’$ Money Shoes would entice her heart’s desire. 

The shoe, which is being marketed to preteen girls, with the tag line, “get spoiled with daddy’s money, ultra cool shoes that will put you in the spotlight...” is creating quite the controversy for the shoe empire. The commercial begins with a dolled up girl holding her index finger over her smiling lips like she is about to tell a secret. Following that disturbing image, we get to view another teenage girl fanning herself with money.  The lyrics repeat verses of “Get, get, get,... daddy’s money. I’m a daddy’s girl” throughout the commercial. The shoes come with equally offensives names: Gimme After Party (pink/purple), Gimmie Kisses (lip print), Gimme Star Studded (star print), Gimme Moolah (dollar signs), and Gimme Wicked (leopard print). 

 Gimme, Gimme, Gimme... well gimme something strong because I have a headache. Seriously. It doesn’t matter if you read into this a sexual, sugar daddy, undertone; or if you just find it offensive that we would begin to indoctrinate, at the impressionable preteen ages, that our girls can just manipulate what they want from the men in their lives. It is a huge disservice to our most valuable treasures: Our daughters. 

Instead of buying these.... shoes,  I think we need to spend some time with our girls showing them the amazing women who shaped our freedoms and choices. Women who accomplished their goals and dreams without relying on anyone else. We need to begin and maintain a dialog with our girls about self-worth. We need to fortify their self-esteem and help them see that they can achieve anything if they are willing to work for it. Hopefully, because we didn’t encourage the attitudes Skechers is exploiting here, we will strengthen their ability to respect themselves by not allowing material gains and laziness to dictate how they behave and who they spend their time with. 

In defense of the advertising for the product Skechers offered, “The Daddy’s Money name and collection’s advertising are designed to be fun and lighthearted, and we regret that some people have been offended by the name.” 

Really? Then please change the name to Mommy’s Shoes, and the tag line to, "When I grow up I will get, get, get.... an education and a job so I can buy whatever shoes I want!”