KaiDangku

As usual evenings I came out in the lobby to play with Ananya and enjoy the beautiful sunset that Norcross had to offer us. There came another Chinese baby with his mom dad to play. Like many east Asians this kid's parents too did not socialize with the others in the hotel lobby. The kid was almost as old as Ananya I guess....his name was Tutu...he was so cute and enjoyable just to watch playing around.

Tutu was entering the lobby just then I looked twice at his pants. Unusually his pants were torn so that we could clearly see his butt cracks. Very customarily, like a very involved Indian...I went ahead and addressed his parents to know that they made their child wear pants that were torn...or slit from behind...and we could all see his butts. Rather than of being ashamed of the exposing their Bambi's buttocks in public...they gave me the most hardheaded stare...abstractly telling me to mind my own business...and buzz off. And when they turned around to strike me with their severe look...I saw that crotch area of Tutu's pants was also torn. Ummm...the tear...it can't be so coincidental...that a parent can make his kid wear such torn pant without noticing.

I came back home...told Manish about it. He too said there must be some story to this. When I am having a global issue...I use Google...to my surprise the pants Tutu was wearing are called KaiDangku meaning "open crotch pants". I was amazed to learn about their use...in weaning from diapers...after being fed up with diapers.

Instead of disposable diapers, many Chinese babies wear kaidangfu, pants with a slit in the bottom of the pants. kāidāngkù, ‘open crotch pants’) look like regular infant pants except there is a long slit extending from the front to the back seat of the pants. The design provides minimum exposure of a child’s buttocks especially when crawling.  

   

 

 The design allows babies and toddlers to easily relieve themselves.

Kaidangku are worn by babies and toddlers who have not been toilet trained or who are in the process of being toilet trained. Kaidangku have been worn by Chinese children for decades.
As disposable diapers have become more and more popular, kaidangku are worn less and less though youngsters who wear diapers may wear them on hot days to avoid diaper rash. Kaidangku remain popular in rural towns in China while parents in cities are increasingly switching to disposable diapers.

  

Looks like Chinese also do not care about the social criticism just as how we Indians do when we wean away our kids from diapers. We too leave our children without diapers and tolerate the yellow output. Although it was very persistent of Tutu's parents to follow Kaidangku culture in America...a country which is so particular about hygiene and toilet manners.While researching for this I came by a comment that cracks me up every time I think about it. Some foreigner must have posted on a Chinese blog mentioning what a filthy way of toilet training Kaidangku pants were...in defense there was a comment from a Chinese person quoting..."In your country it is acceptable to have pet grounds...and walk with a shovel and pan collect your pets filth...but it is unacceptable to do the same for your own child. So much to say for a environment friendly country.!!!"

Well after all my google gyaan...whenever I saw Tutu...very stoically I smiled in my mind but not on my face...and said to myself...'culture to some... vulture to many!!!'