Thanks to his “playa” reputation during his single years, the fact that my husband Calvin is now the father to a pair of daughters is seen as divinely-delivered get-back: “That’s exactly what you get Cal, two little girls.”

Whatever their births may symbolize, Player Emeritus was just as humbled and proud as any other dad when Nia and Layla arrived. He can’t help enjoying his double dose of so-called ‘retribution.’ “For all of fathers who worried when I had their daughters out at night, God just made sure I would experience the same thing!”

So when it comes to putting in overtime to make those baby girls happy, trust and believe that CJ will happily do so—-but not at the cost of his self-respect and our household budget. This is probably something that the Skecher’s shoe company probably won’t appreciate given their most recent product called “Daddy’s Money.”

I. Kid. You. Not.

As if the company’s claims about their “toning” line wasn’t problematic enough, the new, high-top, wedge fashion sneakers, marketed to teens and pre-teens, promise “sassy style” to those who rock the pricey pairs ($50-80). They also feature a tagline that probably sends men racing to hide their wallets: “Get spoiled with Daddy’s Money, ultra-cool shoes that will put you in the spotlight…”

Currently running on kid-centered channels like Hub and MTV, it’s not the product that critics are harping on as much as the subconscious message behind the name: “Go ‘head girls, use your developing feminine charms and get dear ol’ Dad to cop you these new kicks! Bat those eyes, poke out that bottom lip, whatever it takes—-no big deal, it’s not costing you a thing!”

I honestly can’t tell which is more obnoxious, the overly-extravagant shoes or the outdated idea that men are the still the sole providers and decision makers when it comes to finances. Are these the types of images that we want our sons and daughters to pass on to the next generation? What’s next—a line of ultra-skinny jeans marketed to boys called “Mama’s Migrane”?

I digress. Yes, there are some worse influences and sillier products vying for ad time and our hard-earned dollars, but what makes “Daddy’s Money” stand out is the fact that Skechers considers the ads “fun and lighthearted” and doesn’t seem to grasp why the campaign creates the complete opposite of what they claim to intend.

March ushers in more than the beginning of Spring, Easter and St. Patrick’s Day: it also kicks off Women’s History Month. We’ve made many strides over the years for the right to vote, the right to own land, the right to work alongside our male counterparts and just recently, the right to engage in combat. The fact that a company is still encouraging materialistic extras actually negates the individuality that true role models possess and that young girls should emulate.

There are like who don’t have a problem with “Daddy’s Money” and probably think that, as long as Skecher’s doesn’t also come out with “Streetwalker” socks and a “Pimpin’ Papa” pocketbook, no harm is being done. But when those daughters become women and watch as their authority and earnings are undermined by the chauvinistic notion that it’s their partner’s say-so that actually counts, will it be so amusing then?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but in our household, the hugs and kisses that Calvin gets from his daughters come from being loved. They might get that Hello Kitty toy or an extra scoop of ice cream with a sweet smile and a sugary “pleeeeeease,” but Nia and Layla already understand that Mama’s Income/Input works in tandem with Daddy’s Money.

And together, those assets generate something much more valuable than a cool pair of kicks.