5 year old gel nails - is just once ok?

[ChronicallyOnLime]

God I don’t want to sound like an awful mother because I know gels can weaken nails.. but will one time be ok?

We’re off to Disneyland next week as a surprise for DD and she is utterly obsessed with having her nails done, we always use regular polish for her but they never last more than a day or two. I do my own gels at home for special occasions and I’m wondering whether I could do it on DD just for our trip?

I can avoid filing her nails surface as it’s not necessarily being done for that much longevity as you would an adult. But I’m just wondering if it’s still a terrible idea?

It's the 'fashion and style' bit

Little girls have always loved dressing up because it's imaginative

They're not trying to be grown up (unless they're playing mummy) they want to be princesses or someone else from a story or a programme
And let's not let it be Love Island, eh?

I recall my teenage cousin buying me some make up, as I loved playing with hers when I went to my aunties house. I also recall one of my aunties buying me flavoured/scented lip balms which were under the 'make up' category for me.

You can get a peelable base coat for regular polish and then just take it off when needed.

The peelable base is just PVA so you can use that at a 100th of the price.

They never had any desire to! They weren't interested, and it's not that I didn't wear make up or paint my nails. I did.
They just wanted to play schools, make dens, have dolls tea parties,and most of all ... drawing, painting, play doh, colouring.

As for.. experimenting with make up and fashion at 5... it's just completely alien to me!

The removal of gels causes the damage. My were wrecked for months after getting them done just once. Never again!

Anyone would think the OP had asked if it's OK to beat a 5 year old with a belt the way people on this thread are going on. How about saving the harsh judgement for people who abuse their kids rather than someone asking if a bit of nail polish is OK as a once off for going on holiday?

I think this is what happens when you move the goalposts. Normal painted nail polish should feel like a special treat for a five year old.

Trust me, watching her slathering on the sparkly blue eyeshadow and neon pink lip gloss from her Claire's Accessories make-up kit is not covering any flaws, or making the best of what she's got for that matter. It's playing and painting, in the same way as she plays with paint on paper, just that when playing with make-up, she is the canvas. I absolutely indulge her creative interests.

Neither do I use make-up to cover flaws, I'm perfectly happy with my make-up free face but also like being creative with make-up and nails too.

She is not fixated, just like she's not fixated on riding her bike, it's just something she likes to do. Her head is big enough not to be "filled" by liking to have a bit of sparkle on her face from time to time.

Out of interest, are you this against face paint or is it just when it has the title of "make-up" that it's an issue to you?

Don't rush your dc into "treats" that are damaging or inappropriate for their age too young.

What is going to be their next "treat" when they hit 14 if they have already had the gel nails/tanning/professional make up or whatever...........alcohol? lip fillers? piercings?

The comment is a bit OTT, but also not unheard of - my niece's parents let her have a lip piercing at 15 because she loved the look of it and really wanted one! 🙈

It is something to think about, you introduce them to these things too early, they become the norm, they then want more/the next big thing, and you are potentially heading for issues later as they get out of their depth. Buy her the dress up clothes and steer her away from the gel nails.

Yep. She’s five. What more do you need to know to realise this isn’t appropriate?

Ridiculous.

Gel nails is not ‘a bit of nail polish’. It can damage the nail bed. Who knows what damage it’s storing up for a child of five. FIVE. !!!!!!

This happened to me. It was absolutely awful and painful. The skin and nail peeled, went a yellow brown and now I can't replace my old metal filling with a white one either. It was very very itchy growing back. I was fine with them until I suddenly wasn't. I'm allergic to traditional nail polish too and gels initially seemed like a great alternative. Until my nails peeled away.

Plant based polishes seem to be less likely to cause reactions, anecdotally. I would use these on my daughter as well as using them myself. The sally Hansen plant based hardner is good as a top coat to protect and make them last longer

Dear lord...

Any reputable salon wouldn’t do a five year olds nails and rightly so. It’s not necessary, take some nail varnish with you if need be to touch up any chips. The removal of gel on such tiny nails won’t be pleasant. There are lots of lovely things about your trip, not having gel nails isn’t going to make the experience worse. Have a lovely time.

I would have been positively sick with excitement at having one Disney princess costume at this age. I used to be so excited if I was allowed to clop about in my mum's old shoes and put an old underskirt on which looked like a full skirt on me. I'd have run out and played football in my Disney costume too if I could have got away with it. I did once manage to play in a best pink skirt and top outfit with Adidas trainers before I got told off.

Go for it. Why not get her false eyelashes too.

Get her some Disney nail stickers for kids 🙄

The whole idea of nail polish on a 5yo is bonkers to me. Why would you encourage something that restricts how she uses her hands (for fear of chipping it) and perpetuates the idea that looking glamorous is what important when you're female? To a 5yo?

I really do think we're going backwards.

I don't know, DD1 had a keen sense of her own style and put my bras on (about three at once) before she could walk (hooked over her arms correctly but not fastened). As a toddler she was desperate to dress herself before she could do it and hated me helping or suggesting what to wear! At 20 she is a huge fashionista and has a lot of clothes (mostly second hand) but is actually doing a male dominated course at university. DD2 is the opposite and has no strong views about fashion and still asks me what should she wear at 16. Both are much, much, better at makeup than me.

It’s fine, my daughter had them as treats at similar age and as a previous PP said they don’t last as long as adults as the nail is more oily but never did any damage

enjoy Disney!

You say she’s obsessed with getting her nails done but she hasn’t actually asked to get gel nails, that’s your idea. I’m sure you’ve gathered by now that most people think that’s a really bad idea. As do I. Also, she’ll hardly remember this holiday when she’s older so it won’t matter if her nails are done or not.

Fortunately, the local demographics (highly educated/ professional parents) mean that there are far more girls (and indeed children generally) who have interests beyond their own appearance. No doubt she'd have a problem if we were forced to move somewhere down market.

Could you do temporary tattoos instead?
I remember getting them in summer as a dc.

Exactly, SD15 wears solely black jogging bottoms with black hoodies outside of school uniform, has her hair cut in a "boy" style at the barbers and absolutely cannot be bothered with brushing or styling it beyond a slick of gel in the morning, and would rather poke out her eyeballs than wear make-up, nail polish or a sparkly dress. As far as "grooming" goes, we manage to corral her into the shower as much as possible and that's as far as it goes. DD is completely different.

They are not blank slates solely influenced by their parents and they are all different.

I hate the mentality that if a girl has interests considered traditionally feminine, she is sexualised or shallow. Make-up is an art form and a creative outlet just like any other. I am proud of DD for being unashamedly "girlie" and I am proud of SD for being unashamedly not "girlie"- they are both exactly and unapologetically who they want to be.