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Original poster

Does your teen have a mirror in their room?

65 replies

HowToTeach · 26/01/2024 10:25

Thinking of re-doing the wardrobes for DS(14) and DD(12) and wondering if we should put a mirror door on. At the moment we have two mirrored cabinets above the sinks in the bathroom & toilet and a full length in the hall between the bedrooms.
Do yours? Would you? If they have one, would you rather they didn't have one? Does it increase or reduce problems with body image etc.

OP posts:
Beezknees · 26/01/2024 11:16

DS doesn't. He's never asked for one though.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 26/01/2024 11:21

Yes. DD actually has two - one full length one on her wardrobe door and one hanging on her wall which she bought mainly because she thought it was pretty (mosaic type surround).

She has had mirrors in her room for years (she's 18 now but probably since she was around 11?). No body image issues. I am fine with her having one as she would be constantly coming into my room to use mine if she didn't!Grin She mainly uses them for sorting out her very long, thick, curly hair, and would probably struggle to manage this without something.

MrsSkylerWhite · 26/01/2024 11:22

Both of ours did.

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TadpolesInPool · 26/01/2024 11:22

Interesting question. I had a small mirror above a sink and a full length mirror as a teen. Never any body issues.

Ds1 is 12 and has small and full length in his ensuite (rented house, we didn't choose it). DS2 is 9 and uses our mirrors if he wants to check his outfit or laugh at his sticking up hair 😂

We are moving in a couple of years and i think a small mirror is good for them to do their hair. They need access to a full length but I think a shared one in a hall is fine.

As an aside, we had full length mirrors on our wardrobes to improve the light in the bedroom and it really worked.

BoohooWoohoo · 26/01/2024 11:23

All of mine did. They are full length so they can check their ‘fit from head to toe.

Papillon23 · 26/01/2024 11:24

TadpolesInPool · 26/01/2024 11:22

Interesting question. I had a small mirror above a sink and a full length mirror as a teen. Never any body issues.

Ds1 is 12 and has small and full length in his ensuite (rented house, we didn't choose it). DS2 is 9 and uses our mirrors if he wants to check his outfit or laugh at his sticking up hair 😂

We are moving in a couple of years and i think a small mirror is good for them to do their hair. They need access to a full length but I think a shared one in a hall is fine.

As an aside, we had full length mirrors on our wardrobes to improve the light in the bedroom and it really worked.

This!

I think ideally you make the mirror a decorative item rather than one purely required for personal aesthetic purposes.

SuperFurryCat · 26/01/2024 11:29

My DD (12) has one that she uses for her hair, it’s just a small desktop one though. They will see their reflection in lots of things and also see photos of themselves. I don’t think it would impact any more than that. My DD doesn’t have any body issues. I think body issues come from criticism from others rather than what the person sees themselves. That’s how it was for me as a teenager anyway.

reluctantbrit · 26/01/2024 11:45

DD (now 16) got her first full length mirror door when she was 6. I never thought not to add one to her wardrobe.

It was replaced with a new one 2 years ago when we needed to change room and replaced the wardrobe.

She also now has another freestanding mirror which doubles as a jewellery cabinet.

No body image issues, she loves it. She does hair in her room and also her make up.

I think it's more how you talk about your own or other people's body and social media, esp. TikTok, which causes issues than seeing yourself in a mirror.

MarnieMarnie · 26/01/2024 12:01

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines - previously banned poster.

RuthW · 26/01/2024 12:02

Surely everyone needs access to a full length mirror.

MermaidEyes · 26/01/2024 12:06

As @MarnieMarnie says, body issues come from all sorts of places, not having a mirror in the bedroom. Mine have them because it's easier than them constantly being in the way on the landing checking out clothes/hair/make up etc. I had mirrored wardrobes as a teen.

Abbyant · 27/01/2024 17:12

We had a full length mirror on our wardrobe door from about 14 and 12 no eating disorders here, we could just make sure we looked presentable and have fashion shows

Danioyellow · 27/01/2024 17:14

What a weird reason to not have a mirror. You think a teen looking at themselves will make them feel bad about themselves? Mine have full mirrors on the inside of their wardrobe doors, and they have vanities with those massive lightbulbs all round to do their hair and make up.

Marblessolveeverything · 27/01/2024 17:15

My DS16 and DS10 have ones on a stand that has a clothes rail behind handy for themnto leave out clothing for next day. I would say filters have more impact than mirrors regarding eating disorders. We all had slide mirror robes in the 80s and 90s.

W0tnow · 27/01/2024 17:15

If they’re going to have body issues I’m not sure that a full length mirror will be the tipping point. The girls have one. My son doesn’t because we don’t have the room. We have one in the entrance hall though so we can give ourselves a once over before we go out. I do like to see myself in full length before I go out.

stclair · 27/01/2024 17:16

Both dds have full length mirrors as part of their wardrobe doors. Dd 14 looks in hers a lot, dd 11 hardly ever

Moonshine60 · 27/01/2024 17:18

I don't have a teen but was one once😂What's the problem?

NewName24 · 27/01/2024 17:23

I had to read through the thread to find out why anyone wouldn't have a mirror in their room.
All of ours have done, well, since they were born. I mean, mirrors go in bedrooms, don't they? As someone else said, it helps the light in the room.

No-one has any body image issues. What an odd idea.

hopeishere · 27/01/2024 17:24

Yes. He has an en-suite and there's one in there.

beanii · 27/01/2024 17:28

I think it's important to have a full length mirror, nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance - something that should be encouraged.

littleducks · 27/01/2024 17:31

No they don't, never considered it before. We actually don't have one in the house really, there's is a very large mirror in dining room that you can see 80% of full length in.

Familiaritybreedscontemptso · 27/01/2024 17:34

I love a mirror. We have them in every room of the house pretty much. Why wouldn’t you have one? DD has 3 in hers since we put mirrored doors on her wardrobe! I have 2 in my room & 1 in the en-suite. Huge one above the stairs so I can check myself as I leave the house. I’m quite vain 😂

GreenFields07 · 27/01/2024 17:43

Is this really something that people are concerning themselves with these days. Jeez. Id say even thinking about not having a full length mirror would cause more concern for me than not having one. The fact that we need to worry about looking in a mirror is more damaging!!! Of course teens should have a full length mirror, even my 5yo has one.

Klepringly · 27/01/2024 17:44

Yes both my teen sons do as a wardrobe door and have had them since they were in primary. First and foremost to make sure they looked presentable and when in secondary that when they tied their school tie that the logo was just below the knot as in the uniform handbook.

But also for them to check their body over, both of mine have moles so they can look in the mirror for changes and use a hand held mirror to look at their back etc. Ds has a large one on a hard to see place on the back of his thigh. He lies on the floor and puts his feet on the mirror. Works for him as he can see it. We used to check it when he was little but as he got older he is responsible for looking.

Neither of mine have body issues that I know of and my youngest is almost 18. We also have a full length mirror in our bedroom and a massive mirror in the hall to check your appearance before you leave the house. I thought everyone did this.

catelynjane · 27/01/2024 17:48

I had a full length mirror in my room from childhood. I always saw it as pretty essential, to be honest.