You see, Timmy, not ALL dildoes vibrate...

The BBQ Pit
1

So, my husband and I were in Philadelphia yesterday, browsing around South Street. We entered a store called “The Mood,” or some such.

In the front of the store were candles and aromatherapy type stuff. There were also two mothers with two very bored 7-year old boys. The mothers were screaming at the boys to keep quiet and sit still. We didn’t think anything of it, really.

As we walked toward the back of the store, we noticed that there was a large section of very racy lingerie, and at the back, were racks and racks of all variety of sex toys and porno movies. The merchandising was not…discreet. Giant “Ballsy Cocks,” butt plugs, and handcuffs were all over the place. On all the packaging and on the covers of the videos, were photos of people engaging in all manner of kinky sexual behavior. Again, we really didn’t think anything of it.

But then, the two mothers came into the back sections with their kids. I figured that once they discovered that they had wandered into a sex-toy section, the would hastily take the kids away.

But no, they proceeded to browse the entire section in a very leisurely fashion–all the while picking up different sex-toys and saying things like “Whoowee! Look at this! I’d love this!” Meanwhile, the kids’ eyes were just about popping out of their heads. They were in the section for at least fifteen minutes. When the kids would say things like “Mommy, what’s this?” or “Mommy, what are those people doing?” the mothers would respond with things like “Shut up or I’ll bash your fucking head in!” Whenver a kid started to pick something up, his mother would grab him by the arm and violently yank him away.

My husband made a quick retreat. I stayed in the section until they left. I was utterly fascinated with these people. (If you are wondering why I didn’t say anything to them…well, I was afraid of them! Between their treatment of their kids and their gang tattoos, I surmised that they would have no qualms about pounding me until I was the consistency of K-Y jelly.)
Now, I don’t think that kids need be shielded from all mention of sex. I believe that kids should receive some form of sex-education at an early age. Sex is a part of life. But these kids were far too young to be exposed to that sort of sexual imagery. At the age of seven, I don’t think they are anywhere near emotionally ready to handle it. But they are sure old enough to absorb it and have a basic idea what it is all about. I hate to think that their developing sexuality will be imprinted with images of anal reaming, orgies, and bondage. I also wonder what it does to a kid to see his mother flagrantly flaunting her sexuality. I don’t think a 7-year old is ready to know that his mother uses an 8.5 inch “Jelly Carribbean.” Heck, I’m 30, and I’m not ready to know about that!

Thoughts?

2

I thought it was illegal to have that stuff in the same section of the store as the regular stuff? Additionally, I thought it was illegal to allow minors into that area of the store? Unless PA’s laws are different from most, I’m thinking of MD, VA, and the Carolinas specifically. I was under the impression that all the states had similar statutes, though.

3

Utterly how amazing how stupid some people are.
What in the hell were these women thinking? Nobody from the store said anything to them?
In Iowa you have to be 18 to enter adult stores.

In our house that stuff is in a little “toy” box put on the highest shelf in the back of the closet least the kids stumble across it.
I could never imagine taking them into a place where there were vivid pictures and toys.

4

Or worse yet… imprinted with images of violent behavior and their mothers. And we wonder where pedophiles, rapists, and child molesters come from. :frowning:

5

I just want to say that the thread title (my favorite of the day so far) made me thing of Timmy from South Park nervously contemplating a dildo that is about to vibrate its way out of his hand.

“Ti…Timmy? TIMMY!”

So, nothing to add except that I, too, thought it was illegal to display items like that in a room accessable to minors. Even at Spencer Gifts, they put a curtain in front of the dirty stuff and make an (often unsuccessful) attempt to keep kids out of that area.

6

The SDMB has conditioned so that whenever we have threads like this, I just refrain from comment, because no matter what, before the end of the day, someone will come in and remind us how hard it is to be a mother and that we don’t know the whole story, so we can’t criticize.

But I’ll just say…big ballsy cocks make me uncomfortable NOW, when i’m at the PLEASURE CHEST, so I can’t imagine what it’s like to run into one at age seven in a candle store.

jarbaby

7

Here is Pennsylvania’s statute:

(Pennsylvania Consolidates Statutes, Title 18, Part II, Artile F, Chapter 59, Section 5903)

IANAL, but there are a couple of things to consider. 1) How separate the back section of the store is and whether “minors, as part of the general public” would “probably be exposed” to the material. 2) Whether minors accompanying their parents would be different than unaccompanied minors. 3) Whether the items would fall under the definition of “sexual material” for the purpose of the statute. Subsection © defines “sexual material” as:

I doubt that giant ballsy cocks or butt plugs would fall within this definition, but some of the packaging might.

Basically, though, I agree with the OP that I would be uncomfortable to have my kids (if I had kids) in that situation

8

jarbabyj I remember the thread of which you speak. In the end of that thread most of us were compairing horror stories of our own children and understood what you were saying. We kind of hijacked it there for a while.
At least that’s what I was doing. Not commenting on you. Sorry if you took it that way.
I do believe people without children can comment on others children.
Those women were wrong. There is no excuse for that. You just don’t take kids into that kind of store or if it looked innocent at first and then turned out to be that way, you don’t continue to browse with them present.

Juniper200 I giggled over that too! :smiley:

As to the question, these children probably will not have a healthy sexual outlook.
It could go either way. They could shun any type of expirementation when they get into a relationship, or they could go off the deep end and be sexual offenders.
Either way it’s not healthy.

9

Thanks for posting those laws, JeffB. Very interesting.

To answer the questions:

  1. The sex-toy section was not separate from the rest. The store was basically L-shaped, with the little part of the L at the back. That is where the explicit stuff was. Although it was not really separate, there was plenty of “warning” that you were moving into a more sexually explicit area–the increasingly racy lingerie, etc. The videos with the explicit covers were at the far end. IMHO, the store basically complies with the statute. The statute says: “any business or commercial establishment where minors, as a part of the general public or otherwise, are or will probably be exposed to view all or any part of such materials.” If there was an “over 18 only” sign, I didn’t see it, but I don’t think that minors would be expected to be part of the general clientele of that store.

  2. I don’t know whether it matters whether the child is accompanied or not. Some stores had signs that said that minors must be accompanied by a parent–I guess it was assumed that the parents would make good decisions about what their children should be exposed to!

  3. The stuff in that section would definitely meet that definition of “sexual material.” The packaging, especially of the videos (prominently displayed at a seven year old’s eye level) showed explicit sexual conduct of the Hustler-magazine variety. I wonder whether the giant ballsy cocks would be considered explicit “sculpture.” They were very erect and very detailed.

Kricket: Just speculating here–It’s possible that the store employees were reluctant to say anything to the women for the same reason I was.

Simetra: Yeah, the violent nature of the women’s words and behavior made the whole scene even more disturbing. I figured I’d focus on the sex aspect of it, but it is really interesting to contemplate the extent to which sex and violence are becoming conflated in those kids’ heads. Also, since they were asking questions and being told to shut up, I wonder if their natural curiosity is being squelched. I wonder if those mothers always told their kids to shut up, or whether they only weren’t answering because the kids were asking about sex toys. I suspect it’s the former–but, hey, maybe it is the latter. Could you imagine if they did answer the questions? “Well, Timmy, you jam the huge part up your twat while the little part that’s shaped like a bunny rabbit tickles your clit. Here, let me show you…” :eek:

jarbaby: I thought of that before I started this thread. I decided to risk it. With apologies to the hijackers of that other thread: “But you don’t know the whole story. Maybe those weren’t 7-year-olds. Maybe they were the womens’ husbands who have a disease that makes them look and act like 7-year-olds.”

10

It’s too bad that those kids first exposure to sexual behaviour had to come from advertisements for giant vibrating butt plugs (Band Name!).

–Nut
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. “Yes” is the answer.

11

Wow, were these women that scary looking?

And they weren’t their husbands silly! Those women were sex addicts and just couldn’t help themselves. It’s a sickness that they cannot control.
Do not fault them they are ill and know not what they do.

12

I have an idea what my boss Rudolph Giuliani would do. He would tout this as proof that the 60/40 loophole in his ‘sex zone’ restriction act must be closed, since restricting adult material from kids cannot be enforced by the store owners adequately enough.

13

If any of the kids are six or older, than they’ve already found it.

14

Xixor, that’s exactly what I was thinking.

We bid a fond farewell to our little collection, even though my oldest is only 4. We’re just going to keep it low tech until they are much, much older.

15

Every kid knows thats the place to find the best stuff in the house! I suggest you hide on the back of the top shelf of their closet… although that might make it interesting to retrive the toys in the late of the night.
[hijack]
This kind of reminds me of a cartoon I saw years back. This kid is holding his freinds mothers dildo.

The kid says "Tommy! Your moms rocket ship is sure neat! But it smells kinda funny…
[/hijack]

16

Doh!

It seems thats what everyone was thinking…

Just goes to prove our points I guess!
:slight_smile:

17

This is off-topic, but instead addresses the hijack comments from that other thread.

I for one just fucking hate the fact that jarbabyfelt so shoved around that she’s still upset about it. It got awfully fugly. :frowning:

18

there is a chain of sex shops called Ann Summers in the UK and Ireland.
very woman friendly, you know, light and pleasant and on the main street rather than a back alley somewhere. they don’t stock any really hardcore stuff, but they do have a large range of toys etc.
and i’m being too specific here…moving on…

i have seen people with small children (and babies in prams or buggies) often couples or granny, mum, kiddy, entering and leaving the stores.

freaks me out. i mean, a BABY?! i understand you might not be able to get a babysitter while you do your shopping, but really!

although i think at least then they are too young to have ANY clue as to what is going on.

19

Trust me guys, the kids are getting no where near my toy box. I can’t hear the yeah rights already, but seriously.
My very tall husband put it in a place that I cannot even reach in a locked closet and the toy box itself locks.

And jarbaby, if I offended you in anyway or upset you, I am very sorry. That was not my intent. I don’t recall judging you or slamming on your oppinion but please if I made you feel uneasy I am deeply regretful.
IIRC I said that because of the way you reacted meant that you were on your way to being a terrific parent.
Once again, please accept my apologies if I offended.

20

Yep. Let’s have a feelgood festival for people without kids ;). Every perception and opinion they have on people with kids is Right and Needs to be Appreciated. God forbid that people with kids (let alone those poor benighted souls with weird kids) have an opinion.

This shit is getting old. There wasn’t a single parent in here holding forth. There was no need to take a potshot and drag in shit from the other threads on parenting.

To return to the OP:Those women were insane and evil. I can’t imagine taking my child into such a place!