Should babies wear socks all the time? The new battleground in the generational war
Emma, I hear parent-internet is abuzz about baby feet,Has Hemingway’s six-word story gone viral?Not this time, though some may find it just as heartbreaking,There’s a generational divide over whether or not babies need socks, and it’s confusing grandparents around the world,Young parents are opting for barefoot babes – on TikTok, in playgrounds, at the supermarket, in the comfort of their own warm and cosy home,Everywhere.
Are young parents right, or just unconcerned with icy tootsies?If I’ve learned anything as a new parent, it’s that we’re all just trying to get to bedtime as peacefully as we can without being beaten up by the world and/or our kids in the process,But, to answer your question, new parents are often encouraged to give their babies lots of barefoot time, especially if they’re learning to roll or crawl, as it helps give them sensory input and doesn’t limit their developing feet,Babies also have trouble regulating their own temperature, so in some situations a synthetic sock will make little feet too sweaty,In others, it’s still recommended to cover their feet – if you’re going outside for a walk in winter, for example,They’re also annoying to keep on your child’s foot when it’s not necessary.
So, when nan and pop visit and mention the lack of baby footwear, it can be a little frustrating for tired and overstimulated parents.And how are parents expressing this frustration?On TikTok, of course.Some of my favourites date back years; there’s the “Sock Scan Initiated”, the “You sure about that?” meme, running from a serial killer but it’s an old lady asking where your baby’s socks are.Then there’s the “Tell me your MIL watched the baby without telling me” trend.Simple.
Effective.Relatable.But not all young parents feel the same.Look at these cutie ballerina sockies.And are gen X grandparents fighting back? Heart-shaped socks? Black hole socks? Before Sockrise?As far as I know, gen X poster boy Ethan Hawke hasn’t gone public with his opinion on baby socks yet – but then his kids are still kids.
As usual, everyone has forgotten about gen X – who would be grandparents to some young parents.Most of the blame has been laid on boomers, which makes sense because a lot of first-time parents are millennials, and if there’s one generation guilty of talking too much about generations, it’s millennials.Right, so it’s more a case of shake, shake, shake your booties.Sock it to me, baby!
England get the party started on a night that shows just how big this World Cup could be | Andy Bull
Electric atmosphere in Sunderland and at the stadium proves women’s tournament has grown up quicker than anyone ever expectedIt was quiet at Sunderland station on Friday afternoon, and quiet all the way up Union and South Streets and quiet all the way along to Keel Square, where the World Cup was hidden, waiting around the corner like a surprise party. There three, four, five thousand or more were bouncing up and down while a stout lad with Spandex trousers, a sequined jacket and serious pipes was belting out the opening notes of We Will Rock You on the big stage while his band thrashed away behind him. If everywhere else around town was empty, it was because everyone was here. It was a hell of a way to start a World Cup.“Let’s show them how we do it in the north-east!” shouted out the Mackem Mercury as he set a carnival parade off marching over the bridge towards the Stadium of Light for the kick-off
England off to a flyer in 11-try Women’s Rugby World Cup mauling of USA
Outside chatter of a Rugby World Cup favourites tag and expectations on a team can only go so far, the Red Roses had to go out and prove it on the pitch. The host nation more than lived up to their hype as they kicked off their campaign in front of a record crowd for an opening game at a women’s World Cup with a hugely dominant display against the USA which has underlined their ambitions for the World Cup crown.The prop Hannah Botterman and the centre Megan Jones were standouts in a good team display and the scary thought for their future opponents is that the performance was far from England’s best.Handling errors were at the heart of the sloppy areas for the Red Roses but the hosts were commanding at scrum time which got them out of jail on a few occasions. When their attack did click nothing could stop them, the best try of the 11 coming with Botterman’s clever line run in the first half
Aussie ace Asfoora earns tilt at Irish prize after blitzing Nunthorpe field
The third time was the charm for the Australian-trained sprinter Asfoora as Henry Dwyer’s mare took the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes, the feature on day three of the Ebor Festival, after near-misses at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. “It’d be a bad night to be a beer in York, I’d reckon,” Dwyer told ITV Racing, before heading to the winner’s enclosure to kick off the celebrations.Oisin Murphy enjoyed a perfect trip on the 11-1 shot, as he was able to slipstream Night Raider, the early pacesetter, through the first three-and-a-half furlongs and then quicken into a decisive lead when Danny Tudhope’s mount drifted right a furlong out. But while it was very much Plan A from the rider’s point of view, the dedication required to get Asfoora spot-on for this high-speed dash down the Knavesmire should not be underestimated.Her attempt to win the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot in June for the second year running had ended in valiant defeat, while Asfoora was still not quite at her peak for the King George Stakes at Goodwood in August
Keegan Bradley agonising over whether to be a playing Ryder Cup captain for US
Keegan Bradley has opened up on the intense strain associated with his upcoming and “defining” decision on whether to play for, as well as captain, the United States in the Ryder Cup.“I am going to be really happy when this week is over,” Bradley said. “I have about had it with this whole thing. I am ready to figure out what we are doing and get a team together.”Bradley is due huge credit for his candour
Rugby World Cup: Ireland offer support to Shannon Ikahihifo after cancer diagnosis
Ireland’s World Cup squad have offered their support to their teammate Shannon Ikahihifo after she revealed her breast cancer diagnosis. The Trailfinders second-row Ikahihifo, who has three Irish caps, was part of the pre-tournament training group but did not make the final squad.On Friday the 30-year-old posted news of her condition on Instagram, writing: “Crazy to think that one day you can be running around on the rugby pitch feeling completely fine, then five days later you’re sitting in a hospital room being told you have cancer.“ Still a little in shock if I’m honest, but I’m so blessed to have the most amazing husband, family and friends that always carry when things start to feel a bit heavy. Fair to say she’s been a pretty tough few weeks
Serena Williams built her legacy on defiance. Why lend it to Ozempic culture? | Bryan Armen Graham
When Serena Williams was featured in a People magazine story on Thursday morning discussing her 31lb weight loss, the rollout had all the hallmarks of an advertisement draped in the thin veil of an all-caps EXCLUSIVE.Vogue’s social channels amplified their own access, NBC’s Today show gave her a one-on-one segment and Elle published a carefully packaged interview in which Williams declared she wanted to break the stigma around weight-loss drugs, each of them in lockstep with what appeared to be a hard 9am press embargo. This vintage Jill Smoller quadrafecta was not a spontaneous confessional; it was a coordinated media blitz pegged to the US Open, the tentpole event of American tennis, which kicks off on Sunday in earnest.Yet for all the precision and polish, it was unmistakably a commercial. The product wasn’t just Williams’s refined physique, already the subject of months-long speculation among her 32 million followers across social media
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Should babies wear socks all the time? The new battleground in the generational war
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