To not want my daughters' primary school to run a Nail Club (fingernail painting)?

[Bodkin]

It's one of the official after-school clubs. All the girls want to go. It's so popular they've had to limit it to years 5 & 6.

I've nothing against nail varnish, just think it's not a suitable primary school club and the time could be better used.

OFFS. YANBU. I would be FURIOUS.

I just cant see the problem with it. The kids enjoy it, it is fun, it isnt doing their health any harm, nor is it likely to cause injury. It is arty in a way and can be removed with the wipe of some polish remover.

Street Dance is ruddy expensive, £30/term. Run by a pro, no innundation of volunteers here. Probably the expense put many off. I bet nail club can be run much more cheaply.

Does there always have to be a benefit?

It's a club, it's meant to be a fun thing to do for an hour a week.
If you like nail painting you go
If you don't like it then you don't.

IMHO it's a bit over the top going to complain to the head.

Everyone is so caught up in everything has to have some benefit

Well it doesn't.

I'm pretty sure that not everything you do all day has a benefit, whether it's half an hour watching eastenders or having a quiet cup of tea, or going online.

They are 10-11 yo children, you don't have to schedule every waking moment into something educational.

I can understand your concerns. Also it is not an afterschool club that any boy would attend. Why not gardening, cookery or art, all offered at my kids primary school, teaches them life skills and is always massivley over subscribed. I have a year 5 girl. All though she does paint her nails I cannot see that she would want to go to this as she is very sporty.

Can't see a problem with it myself (thinking of paying a visit, mine could do with a paint)

I wouldn't be furious exactly, but I would be a bit miffed by it. But then, nails and things like that are not something I've ever been particularly interested in, even as a child. Preferred ghostbusters and pretending to be a teenage mutant ninja turtle.

I think I would only approach the head about changing it if I had the time to offer a replacement option that the children were equally as interested in - I could quite easily do something like gardening or cooking with them, for example, if something like that wasn't already available. I think it would be a bit unfair for them to just take it away without replacing it :)

It would be unfair to take it away at all.

Wouldn't be keen for my daughter to attend that club at that age.

Seems somehow demeaning / low-expectations -ish.

Fanjo, you're absolutely right there doesn't have to be a benefit in everything. Kids are completely entitled to veg out and relax.

However, I agree with the OP. This is sending the message to very young girls, that they need to doll up and stick a bunch of crappy varnish on their fingernails in order to be cool, attractive and pretty. It's that kind of thing the OP is objecting to, I believe. I think a Makeup Club would be highly inappropriate for the same reasons.

The idea that this is happening at school really would annoy me and just doesn't feel right to me. A school is supposed to educate girls, to encourage them to be not just a pretty face. Girly stuff is okay in moderation, but it's the wrong venue.

The way I see it any club for girls that you wouldn't also run for boys is probably a hideous load of body-fascist / retrograde nonsense.

But it's not teaching them anything at all like that.
It's not a GCSE subject, it's a club for people that like painted nails, the same way a football club is for people that like football.

I personally think some premier league footballers are vile, I wouldn't want the club banned from school in case, by attending it, we are teaching them to aspire to be like these people.

Art club is for people who like to draw.
Nail club is for people who want painted nails.

I still think the reaction to this is way out of proportion.

I would not enroll my daughter in a nail painting club and if she asked to go I would sign her up for art. Painting is just as relaxing. Painting nails is something one does in private once they have left school.

I would be furious that a school thought that is a suitable activity to offer. Why not offer crafts and have boys and girls make friendship bracelets, expose them to sewing, knitting, crochet and make gifts for their family/charity?

because they dont want to do crafts and friendship band making.

They asked the children. And you would not let your dd do this club if she wanted to

Why?

mine do art, football and theatre.
id be furious if another parent decided that they didnt like the club so wanted it cancelled.

i think netballs pointless but not up to me to say what clubs the school can and cannot do.

join the pta and get involved that way.

Because not only is it not educational, and unlike football does not increase fitness and physical dexterity, there is an argument that is damaging - because of enforcing gender stereotypes.

bringback - just what I was going to say.

Surely children are allowed to wear it in school hours anyway - so would have to remove it.

I find it an over reaction that mums don't like girls getting involved in a club that invites girls to do girlie things that girls (some) really like.

As for street dance-have you ever watched it?

My dd did it when she was 11.

Obviously this is just my experience but it was full of glitter, tight clothes, spray tanned instructors and during a competition the children dressed the same.

Some of the music in street dance portrays a much worse message than a bit of nail polish and some of the moves come pretty close as well.

So girls are not to be encouraged to be girly and glittery even if that's what they like because it offends people who do not like "gender stereotypes"

If this is what the argument against it is, then it makes me sad.

Because in trying to squash the feminine side of some girls, who think its a bit of fun, you are stopping people being who they want to be.

It should be a choice, but do far the people who are so adamant that girls should be allowed to choose, to take on whatever they like, are the same people taking that choice away

I can think of at least 4 reasons I would run this club and I'm a feminist/don't paint my fingernails because I garden/never seen an episode of 'Jersey Shore' Only essex stuff.

1. It can be about decoration - not to please others but ourselves - since time began women have decorated themselves - just because I loathe the obsession with appearance of Oompa Loompa type/tangoed people, stripper heels does not mean I through the baby out with the bathwater - you can have a bit of one without it being about conforming

1. It can be about nurture - you can encourage the girls to do hand massage on each other - this lowers blood pressure, encourages them to connect with each other, encourages them to take care of their hands. It promotes group cohesion

1. The power of a girl only space (if it is) - I'm not going to say too much on that as you might think I'm bonkers but girl/women only spaces can be a good place to be

1. It's different. And it encourages creativity - as do many other things - but if this is a self chosen/directed club then that should be validated - even if it has come about because of external societal factors and obsession with appearance it can still be about something different

Basically, I would use any way in to encourage the girls to respect themselves even if it was a nail varnish club.

They have chosen this, it's now up to the adults to make this a good and healthy experience for them.

*so, not do.

throw the baby NOT through

This is sending the message to very young girls, that they need to doll up

The girls have already decided that they want to do their nails, they voted on the club.

Tbh, there are probably boys that would love tobe able to go and cannot/won't.

I agree with all of Laurie's post.