Does banning my child from wearing ‘merch’ make me a bad parent?

But when the sell-out is so extreme, especially when it’s targeted at children, you have to wonder, at what point do we as parents start switching channels? I have already said that The Wiggles concert our daughter will attend in July, her second, will be her last, mainly because I am tired of hearing the same songs, but also because I am tired of the marketing machine that comes with being a tiny fan.

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Regardless, it’s hard to go about most daily tasks without confronting racks of merch, which is often cheaply and unethically made, featuring the faces of our children’s favourite characters. And who wants to be considered a mean parent by always saying no?

I have taken a hard stance against our daughter wearing licensed clothing; I don’t wish for her to be a billboard for anyone, even though I may be naive to think that she’s not already, simply by wearing this or that label. Still, wearing a Country Road logo tee somehow feels less sinister than a Bluey tracksuit. Call me a hypocrite, or a snob.

But it still puzzles me how the same characters who preach lessons about the environment and sustainability can then peddle fast fashion or cheap, plastic toys bearing their images? Our kids may not make the connection, but we as parents sure as heck do.

Still, I am not a total hard ass. During our quest for the toilet step, I remembered my daughter needed new cutlery. In the interests of time and the fact a fork and spoon are practical items, I allowed her to select from her favourite characters. She chose Gabby, but she had her pick of Paw Patrol, Bluey, Toy Story, and more. One thing is sure, the brains behind these characters never miss an opportunity to make a buck.

I can also tolerate the cutlery set because it’s something that will stay in the house and, therefore, is less “daughter as marketing conduit” than a tracksuit. No judgement of the parents who dress their kids in these clothes. We are all fighting our own parenting battles, and I totally get that sometimes, it’s the best/easiest/most affordable choice for a particular family.

So, back to the Bonds x Wiggles release. I know already it’s going to sell out. And as I type this, I am torn between my stance on merch, and the smile on my kid’s face when she opens the parcel. Maybe, in the spirit of my in-these-four-walls caveat, I will buy her some “fruit salad” pyjamas, or a Dorothy the Dinosaur onesie. So long as she doesn’t ask to wear it to childcare.

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