To ask MIL not to by 12yr old Elle Magazine?

[chocoLit]

Seriously? Am I? Not sure if I'm just being over tired & previous but DD literally just turned 12. MIL doesn't see them for months at a time so very little understanding of our parenting choices/style. Has bought her Elle Magazine whilst out today and it's not something I would normally let her read. I need a more rational opinion than mine as It has been a loooooong few weeks.

I remember being sick in bed when I was about 11 and my mum's friend dropping around a copy of Vogue for me! Had never seen it before, my mother definitely was never into glossies. I was transported to another world and can still vividly picture a pair of trousers that I coveted for years, they were black cropped trousers with gold tasselling.

And I spent ages happily sniffing the perfume sample pages. I still love those!

At no stage did I ever mention banning anything Gruach we encourage all our DCs to read and often. Age appropriate material.

And fair enough MIL has indeed had children. One of whom I married. The first of whom ended up pregnant at 17 married to an alcoholic and has never had a job or a successful relationship and is subsequently bringing up her three DC and two others belonging to someone else. She's very nice but it's not how I would have chosen to live my life.

The second, my DH, got his GF pregnant at 17 and pulled his socks up after that fright of his life, going to Uni and having a working hard for his career. We now have our 3 kids who the MIL has very little to do with for a few reasons.

I'm just trying not to go down the same route and choose to bring up my girls a different way.

I however have not had a 12yr old daughter before and am not above asking for advice regards it.

Elle should be fine but keep an eye on it. It was them who ran an interview with Sasha Grey a couple of years ago which wouldnt be suitable for a 12 year old to read.

Although from what ive seen talked about on here there is worse on the internet

At 12 I was reading 'Flowers in the Attic' and Steven King, Elle magazine won't corrupt her x

I can see why you would rather she read something else. I have bought Elle a few times because of cover freebies, but find the magazine a bit of a perfume-sample-advert-ridden bore. Harmless compared to some others mentioned though.

choco by the sounds of it you have brought up super strong minded dds there. Totally get your worry over body issues as it's so bloody hard with girls, and to a growing extent boys too.

I think the only thing you can do is keep talking to them. Keep praising and accepting and keep that sense of humour going with them.

My one dd is currently fairly orange and rocking the big hair and disturbingly bright red lipstick.

The other is paler but with similar ott makeup tendencies.

Last week dd1 informed us she had 'a big bum' she hasn't and when I told her so she was outraged as 'everyone wants a big bum now it's fashionable'

I find wine helps!

Wine is a staple indeed ruledbycats and if you have SIX kids you deserve a vat of it

Thank you for your kind words, it's hard knowing when you're getting it kind of right and when you're about to royally screw up

My mum didn't like me reading j17 when I was 13 but where else was I supposed to get my sex ed from?

J17 was very good for sex ed. Was the sensible girl to More's bad girl.

I used to fancy the male models in J17 too, they always rotated the same few wholesome looking guys.

'Let her read'?? Elle magazine is a respectable adult magazine. Not 'adult" like Playboy, but 'adult' like The Daily Telegraph. If there are elements of its attitude and philosophy that you don't agree with, surely you can talk about them with your daughter. I find it extraordinary that you wouldn't let a 12-year old read something like that.

I would have thought she would find it goring. I'm an adult and I find most adult women's magazines boring. I loved Bliss and Shout and Sugar at that age then J17 and More when I was a little bit older.

It's NU for you to want her to have age appropriate magazines, Elle does not fall into this category.

I would have thought she would find it goring

Pete Townsend recorded the beach noises for Quadrophenia on the beach at Goring.

I haven't had a chance to talk to DD about it other than we'll have a look at it together when I get a day off at the weekend hopefully.

Other things cropped up tonight instead so I've had a shower & gone to bed early instead.

Thanks again everyone.

Choco it's not easy is it!