9/23/2003: Kai dang ku
 

http://cellar.org/2003/kaidangku.jpg

The kid there is wearing "kai dang ku" - actually open-crotch nappies for babies. It turns out this is the traditional baby-wear in China, according to the caption, and it's going out of style because disposable diapers have reached China.

And for some reason parents prefer the disposable diaper to this. Huh!

As a non-breeder, I don't care for the idea of having your kid run around without some sort of protective gear to stop the world from having to deal with the toxic substances he puts out.

I don't get it. Why would you put your kid in this? Assuming you want that area open, why not just keep the kid naked? If warmth is a concern, why not wear a shirt and no pants? The idea makes no sense. No wonder it is dying out.

And as a proud breeder, I can tell you it's a lot easier to clean up a contained mess than a mess that gets all over the place.

This makes absolutely no sense what so ever to me. But then again - maybe its just me having no children. I would just assume that would be the one body part on a child you would NOT want exposed.

Years ago, the National Lampoon had a parody ad for a "diaper suit", which was essentially a black plastic trash bag stuffed with batting. It had arm, leg and head holes, and the ad's gist was that you didn't have to change the kid for up to two weeks at a time.

When our wives were simultaneously pregnant back in the early 80's, my best friend and I determined that, once the kids started walking, we were going to put them on a deadman, chain and collar in the backyard, have them wear trash bags, and just hose them off every few days, until they turned 18.

The wives, though, were against this for some reason...

      Different cutures, I guess they have no problem exposing baby privates to the world. I don't get it either though. Like Glatt said, sounds messy to me.

      Womenfolk tend to veto a lot of excellent parenting ideas Ep.. Not even the very solid arguement of, "They'd have more room to play in the trunk and we would have to listen to them whine" seems to pass their complex rule system. Go figure

So you feel they're different from other pets like dogs, cats or horses?:D

Naw, it goes according to how toxic the output is. From least to worst:

Bee -> Silkworm -> Whale -> Horse -> Dog -> Cat -> North Korean Nuclear Generator -> Human Infant

Wow! You would place Horse exhaust way up there, near Silkworms and Bees (and Whales)! Above cats and dogs!?

Maybe I haven't spent enough time around horses, but I always thought that the expression "Steaming piles of horse crap" had pretty clear implications.

That's just cos there's a ton of it! We're talkin' toxicity per ounce, here.

Great. Just great.

Please...stop. Laughing...too...hard. Sides...hurt....

Sounds like Heinlein's proposal for raising kids. If they get out of line, you put 'em in a barrel and feed 'em through the bung hole. Then when they're 18........................................................you close the bung hole.