Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Not sure how I feel about this one.

I stumbled upon this New York Times article the other day while blogstalking and whatnot. In it, it illustrates how girls are getting older younger. This means that girls are doing older, more sophisticated things at a younger age. For example, I was 17 before I got a manicure or pedicure. I thought that I was hot stuff back then, doing something so grown up. Apparently, it's the new thing for pre-pubescent girls to be having mani-pedis, spa days, etc. What is happening to the world? Not that it is wrong that little girls are doing these things, but it just doesn't seem that right. Opinions?

I may be a hypocrite for this, because although I think that it is ridiculous for a 10 year old to get a manicure (she's just going to scuff it up in 15 minutes... 25+ bucks down the drain), I think that if my 10 year old daughter wanted a manicure I would let her get one. I would feel lame saying, "You're too young to get a manicure!"

Let's just hope I have boys and don't have to deal with all this.

3 comments:

Sariah said...

lol... Okay, so my daughter was 7 when she had her first mani and pedi. The first time was because it was my birthday, my husband had to work, and I was 9 months pregnant. I wanted pampering! So on a spur of the moment decision, we both got manicures and pedicures. And she LOVED it! lol So, usually before Easter and then again before her birthday, we go get them together. It's one of "our things", one of our bonding times. And my daughter's actually do last quite awhile, but she's not usually a dig in the dirt kind of girl.

But I totally hear ya on what you're saying. I really get surprised by some of the clothes that young girls wear. And wearing make up. Or hearing of little girls having their own cell phones already. All those things seem a little early for young kids. :S

sarahbclark! said...

we just hoping you EVER have kids! you're a complacent little career girl!

but i know what you mean. it scares me what kind of world my kids are growing up in. this is a weird way to look at it but how do we expect adults to treat kids like kids (in respect to creepy guys who like em young) when these girls looking and acting so mature?

and, it's teaching girls that they need outside help in order to be beautiful. if everyone else is wearing makeup of course the odd one out will feel plain. and downward spiral from there.

oh, i could talk your ear off (type your eyes off? hmmm) about it but i'll be quiet now.

Terri and Jack said...

I'm not sure that I am totally against a little girl having a pedicure and manicure once in a while. It's kinda like playing dress up. However, I think that it's great when children are allowed to be CHILDREN and to just play without the scheduling of every minute of the day. Sometimes, I think that we are taking childhoods away by putting them in this and that. Also, if parent's don't emphasis "grown up" behavior by buying them more mature clothes, etc.. that could help. I remember when you were in 6th grade, and it was Halloween. You wanted to dress up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. So, I made you a costume, etc. You looked adorable. I remember you and Carol flying around the gym at the party... pigtails flying. Some of the other girls were wearing much more sophisicated costumes... short skirts, make up, fish nets... and they were just standing around watching. I felt so happy that you were unaffected and still enjoyed being and acting like a kid. I felt sorry for the other girls... social pressure had already changed them and certainly taken away some of the freedom of childhood.