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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Nail polish on babies?

99 replies

handbagCrab · 23/05/2012 12:14

Not sure if AIBU but I saw a baby being pushed around with bright pink painted toenails and I thought it was a bit ott.

Is it a bit much to paint a baby's toenails or is it the done thing for little dds?

OP posts:

Noqontrol · 24/05/2012 08:19

BertieBotts · 24/05/2012 08:41

Nail manicures etc are totally different. Painting the nails of a baby who isn't even aware is more likely to reflect the whims of a parent or older sibling, and it doesn't hurt or damage the child in any way, hence - harmless.

KateSpade · 24/05/2012 09:01

I got a text message exactly the same as the OP's message...

Unless theirs more than one baby going around with bright pink toe nails..

Ilovedaintynuts · 24/05/2012 09:13

I paint my 4 year old DD's toenails when she asks.
It started about 18 months.

My nearly 2 year old DD has shown no interest so I haven't done hers.

I painted my DS's toenails for a while when he was small.

What's wrong with wanting pretty toes for a boy or a girl?

TrudiRed · 24/05/2012 09:22

I wouldn't put nail varnish on a baby but my 7 year old loves having her nails painted - we mostly do toes as she's not allowed her nails painted at school. I usually wear nail varnish myself so she's been watching me do it for years. Pretty harmless imo - I don't believe its sexual or her growing up too fast (any more than dressing up or playing mums and dads) My 2 year old wanted her toes done the other day too and I have done them. What I do find tacky is chipped nail varnish - whoever is wearing it. We don't paint ds's nails - he'd run a mile! Oh and as a side line one of my friends painted one of her twin dd's little finger nail when she was tiny - it was the only way she could tell them apart!

BabyDubsEverywhere · 24/05/2012 09:34

Dd is 3 and will be attending nursery with pink nail varnish today.
Ds is 4 and will be attending the same nursery with blue nailvarnish. They asked me, i never wear is myself. They are happy and it is harmless. :)

5madthings · 24/05/2012 14:14

so if its not ok to put nail poilish on the toe nails of a baby girl as its premature sexualisation, what about baby boys? all my boys loved having their toe nails painted as toddlers and ds3 and ds4 still do (they are 7 and 4yrs old) is that ok? is it purely toddler girls that is sexualises? i will let my dd have her toe nails painted if she wants this summer. in the same way i did with my boys, its just a bit of fun and play, like playing dress up etc.

but painting a toddlers toe nails doesnt mean i am going to be taking her to a salon for a pedicure at 7 or letting her highlight her hair, or let her dress innappropriately etc. you can do one and not end up doing the rest!

Groovee · 24/05/2012 14:15

My friend painted one of her twins's nails when she was tiny so she could tell which one was which.

Groovee · 24/05/2012 14:16

That was she painted one of the nails on one hand (pinkie I think) on one baby.

blueberryboybait · 24/05/2012 14:22

We let DD1 (4) have her toenails painted when we were on holiday earlier this year, she was barefoot and a sweet little old lady friend of my mother's looked at DD1's bare feet and said 'toes as pretty as those need sparkles', she double checked with DH and I then bought DD some glitter nail polish that was mostly clear with a little silver in it. DD loves her toe polish and is currently sporting very fetching orange toenails.

cupofteaplease · 24/05/2012 14:47

I have my finger nails painted, and I paint my toe nails. In the school holidays I paint my 6 and 4 year olds' toe nails. The other week they asked if we could paint dd3's who is 8 months. I said no, but don't know why really, what harm can it do?!

5madthings · 24/05/2012 16:36

none at all cup i bet Bea would look fabulous, as she always does anyway! :)

Leftwingharpie · 24/05/2012 18:45

Don't see why not really.

DarrowbyEightFive · 24/05/2012 19:12

I certainly didn't use real nail varnish on them when they were babies or toddlers. Why the hell would I want to expose them to those chemicals when they're too young to know what they really want? When they were 5 or 6 they got given one of these 'little kid make-up sets' with pretend nail varnish - the stuff that comes off in the bath. I had no problem with that - it was very much on the level of 'dressing-up' rather than replicating the real thing. DD1 started wearing real nail varnish when she was 12 or so and goes in for black, blue, glitter etc. I think at that age she's well able to deal with the varnish remover - in fact I put some in her Xmas stocking so she would stop nicking mine. She doesn't wear much other make up and isn't generally very girly, so I'm not concerned about over-sexualisation at a young age.

HoneyDragonWearingLederhosen · 24/05/2012 19:25

I don't paint my nails to be groomed, nice do I do it to be alluring. I paint them because I like pretty colours. Same as I paint the walls in my house or choose to wear nice colours because it pleases me.

Dd is 2 and pleaded last night for me to do her toes when I did mine - she was thrilled. Ds used to love his done too, and said he still would but school and pathetic social values have influenced him now into thinking adornment is for females only - but we're always discussing why that shouldn't be.

People who see babies in a sexual way do not care whether their nails are painted or not.

People who don't, shouldn't care.

HoneyDragonWearingLederhosen · 24/05/2012 19:26

Nice = nor
Autocorrect fail, sorry

LynetteScavo · 24/05/2012 19:33

It's a bit like painting a dogs claws.

LynetteScavo · 24/05/2012 19:38

A dog, for your amusement

For your bemusement

madmomma · 24/05/2012 19:40

hideous.

wasabipeanut · 24/05/2012 19:46

DS was coming up for 4 last Summer and asked to have his toenails painted after seeing me do mine. They have been blue, scarlett, yellow (my Chanel mimosa rip off) and I think lilac also. He is showing no interest this year.

DD is 2 and shows no interest at all which is a relief given how many of you think it's the thin end of the grooming wedge. It isn't - it's little people wanting to copy Mummy. There is no more or less to it.

wasabipeanut · 24/05/2012 19:47

I don't think the OP is BU though as I'd wince a bit if I saw it on a baby. Could be worse though.

MarySA · 24/05/2012 19:47

Hair extensions next. Still it's not something I could get over bothered about.

chloem93 · 18/01/2019 12:17

MaisieMooCow- There are nail polish and remover out there for babies and kids which claim to not have toxic chemicals in them so perfectly safe for babies. A quick google search came up with a few options!

Personally I don't see anything wrong with the toe nails being done...I was looking as I've got a month old and I wanted to know if there were kid friendly nail polish 💅 so I'm one of these people that everyone is complaining about 😂 I don't think my daughter is a doll, I think of it as a bonding thing like giving her a massage, it's not permanent or causes pain and if it's non toxic...what's the problem?

Birdsgottafly · 18/01/2019 12:28

chloem93, this thread is nearly 6 years old.

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