AIBU to think a seven year old should not wear lipstick and nail varnish?

[sammypaws]

Maybe I am being old-fashioned, but I don't think that my SIL should allow my seven year old niece to wear lipstick and nail varnish (in fact she applies it). She has been doing this since she was four/ five years old. I am of the school of thought that children should look like children and not miniature adults - some of the clothes she wears would look more appropriate on someone in their thirties! I think she should be wearing things with animals on them, .

*time - M key is faulty!

I see lipstick and nail varnish quite differently. Not sure why. Maybe feel that lipstick "ages" them more. Either way, you can't say anything, unless they do it to your dd.

Yabu

I don't see how I could stop my DDs wearing makeup, when I wear it. OK I could stop them, but it would be hypocritical.

I don't like it either. My eight year old sometimes has her nails painted during the school holidays and she usually opts for each nail a different colour.

Face makeup is vile on children in my opinion. When she is staying with her grandparents MIL sometimes puts some makeup on her and I have to bite my tongue. It rubs off fairly quickly though, fortunately for my blood pressure

But MIL wears make up every day and I do not. And only rarely do I wear it for going out.

my 3 year old LOVES to have nail varnish like her aunties/godmum (i dont wear due to job) and has lipbalm as lipstick - no harm in it she likes to play dress-up / grown up - she even puts a little lip balm on dd2 (18months) who also loves it and will walk round goin 'ook kiss?' its just fun surely as long as not fully made up for school etc what does it matter?

Personally I wouldn't go out if makeup wasn't invented. Perhaps spammy you need it as well but just don't think you do!!

Joking,, seriously this won't end well. My dds love makeup, hair stuff, clothes etc, have done since toddlers, made that way and what's wrong with that?

Your sil will do as she feels right for her children and you will do what you feel us right for yours..

You haven't the dibs on the worlds best parent and neither does she.

Mind your business is my motto.

Also vomit at the animal print clothes...

Nail polish on toes only here - and that goes for me too! I agree, my dds are too busy having fun to worry about chipped nails (common.) Your SIL sounds a nightmare, keep at arms length, stick to your guns and teach your kids that it's what you do that matters, not what you look like and past being respectable and appropriately dressed (which is your job to see to) they shouldn't give their clothes another thought!

Electricsoftparade - what an odd gift to give a six year old. Would a face-painting kit not have been more appropriate.....

I just don't see why wearing adult make-up is necessary for a child to have fun.

Thebody.

Animalprint clothes???

Clothes with animals on them means cats/ dogs/ tigers etc - depictions of what the whole animal looks like rather than its skin

Thebody.

You are right though, she is not my DD, but I still worry for her future. As I said above the make-up is just another symptom.

Whilst you're obviously entitled to an opinion I think you're being quite ridiculous.

Not every child wants to build dens and not every child wants to wear make up. Saying one is childish and one isn't, is the same to me as saying that drinking is an adult activity so if you don't drink you're not an adult.

Also I loved make-up as a child, yet I don't think I knew what a 'celebrity' was and I rarely watched the TV, didn't read magazines and was totally oblivious to 'fashion'.

You might feel that overall your nieces influences and the messages she gets aren't great but I don't think lipstick and nail varnish are that relevant to the argument.

It is not "necessary for a child to have fun" it just adds to the fun.
DD is just as happy tearing around the garden getting muddy.
But she loves to have the odd "girly" afternoon of painting her nails and watching a Disney film with pop corn.
It is lovely to do something together we both enjoy. And when my friend did them we had a very girly day. It was nice for all of us.

Also about 'animal prints', my DD2 who is 6 hates those kind of clothes and so do I. I would never put her in that kind of farm themed shite so on that basis alone YABU.

YANBU

Can't get het up over this tbh. Think there is nothing wrong with a little bit of nail polish on little girls and boys. Lipstick for dressing up at home is fine too imo. DD is 10y and last couple of years has been allowed a touch of lipstick or glass for parties - can't see it harms tbh. Obviously not for school and every day at this age - but dress up and parties I think its's fine.

My DD isn't bothered, but my DS (4) loves wearing nail varnish, so I apply it for him. He really likes it when we paint little designs on his nails. I guess this doesn't have any bearing on your niece though.

clippityclop. I confess that I wear it on my toes too!

I say let them have fun and don't be afraid to get muddy.

My dd loves make up and was given 2 hideous make up sets last Christmas. She gets an enormous amount of pleasure out of them that is incomprehensible to me (I'm very fairly butch) but I don't think its really up to me, or even possible to dictate what gives her pleasure. If we go shopping then sometimes I will let her look at make up and if she is lucky another adult who has a clue will talk to her about it. I also let her look at the donut machine in the krispy creme window and look at the models in the lego shop. Its not necessary but what a joyless world it would be if we only ever did what was necessary. She wouldn't thank you for clothes with animals on either, she is strictly a print dresses girl and contrary to popular opinion it is entirely possible to build a den, ride a bike and climb a tree wearing a skirt/dress and the most hideous blue eyeshadow you have ever seen. She doesn't get this from me, I haven't worn a skirt since 1986, I can only assume its open rebellion or her father's genes.

Sequins all the way eh, rubyfakenails

Sammypaws No, not really. She was given a child's make-up gift and used it. I don't see much difference with face paints really.

I agree, a child does not have to have adult make-up to have fun but nor does it mean there is something wrong if a child does have make-up to play with. My Dd does not go out with a face full of make up. She has coloured vaseline, peal off nail varnish and, sometimes, coloured hairspray. Mind you, so does DS.

Actually RubyFakeNails has expressed it better than me.

My SIL also likes to give her 'advice' on child rearing and I fear the day that she tries this on with my daughter

Yet its ok for you to be offering your 'advice' on her child rearing.

My 8yo wears a bit of lippy and nail varnish sometimes she doesn't think she is a mini adult, she thinks she is a little girl with some pretty colours on her nails and a bit of gloss on her lips.

I have make up somewhere in the depths of my wardrobe but very very very rarely wear it.

I have 3 dd's who seem to love it, make up is only allowed for playing dress up (it can be either or with the face paints) and nail polish is only allowed in school holidays. In their books the sparlier the better.

I don't think is does them any harm to play with it, the more forbidden it is the more alluring potentially. I do not tell them the look more beautiful or more special with it on, they are playing and experimenting.

Electricsoftparade - there is a world of difference between looking like a tiger and looking like you are about to head out to a club.....