AIBU to just not get little girls pamper parties

[Clossaintjacques]

I have seen some young pre teens parties that include face packs with cucumbers for eye relaxation and pretend champagne. I am not saying that I think they are inappropriate I just don't get why 7 and 8 year old girls would think sipping pretend champagne and lying with face packs on could be fun! Unless of course it's marketed to make them think it's cool. But not actually fun.

DD was invited to a 10th birthday party last year. When she and her best friend found out that they were expected to have their hair and nails done they both decided it wasn't for them and went off and played somewhere else.

Looking after babies isn't always fun, yet how many little girls do you see pushing prams?

Kids will always want to mimic adults, it's what they've always done.

I think there is a big difference between pretend play in the sense of dolls and things and these parties which put way to much emphasis on beauty and stuff to young IMO.

It's true but little boys will also pay with dolls and roll play adults but you NEVER see pamper parties for boys. If it's genuinely fun why don't boys have pamper parties?

Pampering is fun to many people. Looking after your skin is a good habit to get into.

So it's a good habit to get in to Serenity? What about the pretend champagne?

Either you didn't read my thread or you're being deliberatly antagonistic. To repeat -

looking after you skin is a good habit to get into

my dd had one for her 7th birthday - it was much more a fun party than you are describing!
She had her hair braided and then put up with large 'feathery' accessories. Had her face painted (think face painting rather than make-up) and then they had their nails painted.
They also had craft activities to do whilst they were waiting their turn at each 'pamper' station.

She and her friends loved it and I can honestly say it was the best party that I have organised for her.

YABU about the pamper party not being fun, but it does need to be tailored to the age group!

My friends daughter (10) went to one a few months back. Friend let her because she is never shown any interest in pampering and was pestering to go expecting her back within a hour bored. She came back two hours later with some kind of gel nails glued on, skin a shade darker on her legs and more makeup on than a drag queen on central pier and apparently had turned down a back massage to de stress!

Oh Bellie, tell me more! My dd wants one for her 10th birthday in 3 weeks time!

Fairhaired - it was in surrey if that helps - it was at a local hairdressers who have a big room at the back for the parties.

YANBU. What exactly is wrong with musical chairs and pass the parcel?

This stuff about getting into the habit of taking good care of your skin is nonsense too. Eight year old girls tend to have lovely skin, and all they need is soap and water. (The same is true for adults, actually, but that's another argument.) Why they should get into the habit of forking out money for expensive creams and lotions that offer no benefit at all is beyond me.

I think they might be fun for a 10 or 11 year old who wants to play at being "grown up" but younger than that is a bit bleurgh in my opinion .

It just gives me an odd feeling...like a friend of mine who has started a hair bow business. I have nothing against hair bows or pink or anything else, but the way she describes it "the finishing touch for your little princess" , etc, just rubs me the wrong way. And it's the same way for really little girls being at these parties.

hackmum

you are quite right. As far as little girls looking after their skin is concerned, it's up to the mother parents with soap and water. A bit of fresh air doesn't hurt either.

YANBU. Gross. It's just grooming (tee-hee) them to be the next generation of cosmetics industry victims consumers. Plus it's a bit trashy...like Toddlers and Tiaras.

Stewie I don't see how my 7 year old hving her nails painted at a party is reinforcing harmful gender sterotypes....I have mine done and I'm a Feminist...she knows that "pink for girls and blue for boys" is bollocks and se knows that she can do anything she wants in life....having purple glittery nails isn't going to turn her into an idiot.

If it's genuinely fun why don't boys have pamper parties?

Because boys tend not to want to mimic what is nearly always their Mum's beauty routine.

They're a totally different sex for a start....

It's telling them they aren't beautiful as they are.
That they have to spend £££££ on loads of muck to put on their skin/lips/nails to look attractive.
It's a load of cobblers.
(and I wear makeup)

I agree stewie. There is a big difference between playing with mummies make up and stuff and having a party aimed purely at beauty.

I think they are very trashy

That's my point Darrell 'You wear make up'....knowing your kids will probably want to copy you.

You are telling them that you aren't as beautiful as you are, so I think it's pretty par for the course that they'll feel the same about themselves.

By the way, I'm not advocating these parties...I think they're far more suited to 14yr olds.

But I can see why they're popular with little girls who want to copy their Mums and other women they look up to.

DD(3) loves our pamper sessions. We don't go all out but I wash, trim and style her fringed bob, paint her nails and toe nails, give her a slick of vaseline on her lips and we dance in our pj's to the music channel.

I don't know why she likes it so much but if we go a few weeks without them she always asks for one.