To think pamper parties for small girls are a bit sad?

[Throughautomaticdoors]

My friend's dd with be 7 in December and is having a pamper party when they each get their hair and make up done and have a mini manicure or pedicure.
On one hand I guess it's no different to dressing up but on the other it sort of seems worse because it's so focused on appearance. It's the beginning of the trout pout and selfies. At 7 I'd have had no idea about getting my make up done. I know it's just how things are now and a lot of the little girls are the same but they are pretty without makeup on aren't they? It's sad that already they feel they have to look different.

I think even if if was just nails and hair it doesn't seem so sad, but make up seems really unnecessary.

Aibu?

I agree op, my dd is 7 next week and she wants to have a party at home with a few friends but a friend of mine has dd same age and having a 'princess party' where they have their make up, nails and hair done. I find it a bit the same child also gets named clothes and shoes for her birthday. I feel like screaming to mum for god sake give the girl a doll or a toy! She would much prefer that as a
Present than a pair of Lelli Kelly boots!!

I dont like the new trend of trying to push children through their childhood so fast and fast forward them to being teens when they're barely out of nappies. Equally I hate it when children are described as 'hot' or 'sexy' too. Lots of time for all the grown up stuff....you only get one shot at childhood.

Dd3 has been invited to two of these over the years. She's 10. We've made excuses both times. Its her idea of hell

My DD loves having her bitten nails painted - and then picking it off 5 minutes later.
She would enjoy this and loves putting on make up but luckily isn't really that interested her appearance, to her its playing

However we did take her to the Bibbidy Bobbidy boutique in Disney and she LOVED it. It was dress up though really

DD went to her first one aged 12, and I thought that was still on the young side, but not objectionable young.

I'll stop finding them objectionable at all when they are marketed equally at boys and girls and "as long as both sexes are included and everyone wants to do it"

The DSes have never been invited to one....

Yanbu. I find the whole concept offensive and hideous, never mind "a bit sad".

It's a cunning marketing drive aimed at commodifying little girls' bodies into Things That Need Money Spent on Them as early as possible. Also, I really object to the word 'pampering' having switched its previous meaning of spoiling/indulging with associations of fun and luxury into 'making yourself look groomed'. Fine, choose that for yourself as an adult, if you genuinely think getting a wax is the height of self-indulgence, but don't tell me it's not objectionable to start off reception-age girls on the idea that self-grooming is a necessary part of being female. If they were marketed at birth sexes, it would be less damaging and might actually be more like face-painting.

Mind you, I think they're dying out around here, after a lot of invitees' unimpressed parents RSVP'd NO to reception age 'pamper parties' at the local beautician last year. The invitations were little beautify salon 'menus' with different price lists, including full-face make-up. For four and five year olds. I think one party ended up in a soft play instead...

Both sexes, not birth sexes.

Yes can't get worked up about this if it's a party.

Dds equally enjoyed footi and sports parties.

See, I love mani/pedis, massages, facials, etc. Being pampered is lovely. What I really dislike is the idea that it's only for girls. I introduced DH to pampering and now he comes with me whenever he can. He doesn't get colour put on his fingernails or toenails but the scraping and lotion and massage bit, he loves it. Who wouldn't!

So I love the idea of pamper parties, I hate that they are sex specific

I so judge any parents who host pamper parties for their DDs.
It's an awful idea.

YANBU. I have a DS and am pregnant with DD. This is the kind of stuff I'm dreading!! I'm already on a mission to buy as many non-pink non-princess clothes as possible but many friends tell me you can try but ultimately most little girls gravitate towards being a little princess.

I think for a teenager (or 12 up) this is fine as they naturally start wanting to behave like adults at that age but 7 is too young.

I loathe the scraping and massaging and lotions of manicures and facials, Fatty! It just feels like being twiddled with when I could be doing something else like going to the opera or reading in the bath. DH and DS (who is 4) both find that kind of thing far more palatable - DS occasionally does his own nail varnish - but I find that much less problematic, as society isn't continually telling them that self-grooming is a duty.

Just the words, 'pamper parties' make me feel queasy.

Yanbu. Playing with mummy's lipstick and nail varnish is fine. This is not. No way would I let a child attend one.

My 12yo dd is 13 soon.

She's taking her friends go-karting.

Thats the way to do it (ds is cross because he didn't think of it!)

Flying that sounds way ott for reception age children and silly. Hate the full face makeup idea too.

Not sure about both sexes being invited though? Can girls not do things without inviting boys?

TheFit

My dh defiantly wouldn't! I also know women who would hate that and hate massages.

Heather my dds also liked the pink clothes and princess dresses but equally loved trakkis and rolling in mud. It's not one or the other.

What I hate to see is parents dressing up little girls to go to the park and then get pissed off of they get dirty.

The thing is that being "pampered" is so fucking boring and antisocial - you have to sit still in one position - no running around, no chatting - no face to face. Why would a seven year old want to do that with her friends?

I do some of that shit - eye brow threading, leg waxing but I consider it work, not fun. No fucking way would I go to a pampering party at 42 never mind seven.

Yes being naked in a room while some random pours grease on you and asks you about your holidays - who wouldn't love it?!?!

Ritchy

Are you sure that was a salon? sounds more like a sex game to me.

Me and the dds watched pagent moms the other day.

I know they are Americans but good God the programme was so depressing. 6 year olds getting fake tans, nails, full makeup and huge hair doing 'sexy' routines every weekend travelling miles to compete.

Bloody awful. Kids looked so tired and old.

I'm with Ritchy!

I think it's sad as fuck. Why can't they play games at 7, for god's sake?

Surely 'pampering' is about beautifying and de-stressing. Why would a young child want or need either of those?!

Before DD I would have said YANBU. I used to despise what I thought was conditioning of girls at a young age to aspire to be "pretty". I don't wear make up day to day and have little interest in fashion so assumed DD would follow my footsteps.

How wrong I was! She is just 4 and LOVES all that glitters, pink, make up and nail varnish. Every time we go shopping or to a pharmacy she literally begs me for make up/ nail varnish. She loves me styling her hair. Therefore she would have so much fun at one of these parties and ultimately her happiness is more important to me than my opinions on preening.