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?

Google aqua beads stick on Disney princess nails
Few sets in there so one falls off just replace it, suitable for 3 years +

What does her dad think about it?

Could you get some Mickey nail stickers, pop them on with a bit of nail glue and a glittery top coat?

Its the allergy risk that would put me off, many adults suffer and I think children are more prone to allergies. It would ruin Disney if she had a reaction and I believe make her more prone to allergies in the future

Of course. Isn’t it funny though that these highly educated/professional parents presume that those children are interested in make up/hair/nails clearly have parents who are dregs of the earth?

You know nothing about me so don’t insinuate. Your aim to patronise and condescend posters who shock horror have children with different interests to your child says a lot more about you than me.

I’m not surprised you got the reply you did after your snidy post about that poster’s dd not having any friends because of her non stereotypical female interest in space and dragons. Maybe think about what you say first.

fwiw gel nails on a 5 year old is tacky as fuck as well as the dangers from the chemicals in the polish and remover. Dc don’t need ‘holibobs mani pedis’ they need to be enjoying being children. Time enough to constantly try to tweak your appearance to meet societal norms as an adult. Believe it or not my dd has had amazing times at Disney without a scrap of make up on at all!

Many reasons why not:
The UVA ights are carcenogenic
The product can thin the nail ehich is alresdg thin on a 5 year old
Can cause allergic reactions

Not least

Theybare so hard and permanent if your child catches their nail it can rip the whole nail off the nail bed. I know someone that this happened to on their toe:((( kids are always sticking their hands in things and scraping their nails, this would be my number 1 concern.

Maybe try Disney nail stickers, if they come off you can redo them there? Might encourage her to have a rest as well so you can do it for her. You could put a little bit of glitter polish over the top becsuse it’s harder to see when that chips or comes off and you only need one coat so it’s easier to redo, again you could take a small bottle with you.
you could get her nails done at the bibbidi Bobbidi boutique too

https://www.primark.com/en-gb/p/disney-princess-stick-on-false-nails-pink-991124493306

Do you know what UV is? Your LED lamp is almost definitely UV (because that is the wavelength range used to cure polymers). I say always almost definitely because I know nothing about gel nails, but I do know UV and polymer curing science.

I remember my SIL ranting about a salon that refused to do gels on her 7 year old. She didn’t get around to asking about lash extensions apparently!

You’ve had your arse handed to you and have decided not to go ahead which is a good call imo.

How about stick on ones from Primark?

You don't get a medal for not being interested in aesthetic or 'feminine' stuff like nail polish, you know. Enjoy beauty/fashion or don't - but acting as if one stance is more virtuous than the other is simply ridiculous.

There are plenty of girls, by the way, who are interested in space and dragons AND like nail polish. These things aren't mutually exclusive. Funnily enough, my own current nail set is a green/purple iridescent 'cat eye' effect which was inspired by dragons.

The notion that it's somehow silly, shallow, vacuous etc to enjoy clothes, makeup and beauty really does reek of internalised misogyny.

To the posters that say, oh she should only be into books dolls and reading. Honestly, have a word with yourselves. Putting glitter on your nails is dress up to a kid, as is having a clip in braid or pretend makeup.
Maybe the children into these things will grow up to be salon owners costume designers and makeup artists. Can children not have different interests too?
I hated dolls as a child, i liked dress up and makeup. Then I liked trucks and lorries and science sets and got really into poetry and shakespeare at one point.
I really dont thinkt he fact I liked to play with makeup and nail varnish when I was 5 and 6 had any bearing on anything at all in my life.

Call me old fashioned (as I guess I am) but yes I am genuinely surprised that a five year old girl is into hair, make up and nails (for herself not for her doll). And I used to be a five year old girl myself, and so was my sister so I think I can speak from direct experience.

I liked playing with the hair, plastic fake make up and clothes of my dolls but me? No that was for grown ups so not on my radar. I was allowed to start experimenting very sparingly with those things when I was 13.

But I guess if this is the new normal then roll on twenty years and she could be on here complaining her perfectly lovely birthday was ruined because her bf didn’t acknowledge it on social media. It just depends what comes next after nails if she’s already into hair and make up at five.

There are plenty of girls, by the way, who are interested in space and dragons AND like nail polish.

Of course there are.

But at 5?

Big difference between a mum pushing that stuff or at least responding to it in a big way, and being 14 and buying it yourself.

Why can't we allow kids to be kids?

Plenty of time for hair, make up,etc when they are older not barely out of toddler-hood!

Honestly, mumsnet gets wilder and more aggressive by the day!!!

My daughter absolutely loved hair, make up and nail polish at 5. We would spend hours playing salon! I can remember playing salon with my own mum and I’m in my 40’s and a perfectly rounded low maintenance individual.

I think my daughter was 9 when we put a really thin layer of gel polish on. Some of them pinged off (it’s really soft) and what was left we had removed professionally.

She still has 10 fingers, and 10 finger nails securely attached. The social did not come and no lasting effects from said polish!

Have a blast at Disney! I’m sure your kids will absolutely love it.

Yikes

I think this is totally fine and you're getting an insanely hard time here.

I think for me it’s the fact her five year old is into nails, hair and make up for herself (not for her dolls). I loved dressing up as a child but it was very much a childish dress up not a glow up.

I am the mother of boys though so not something I ever dealt with as a mum. I would have allowed dress up of course if I had girls but only what I’d consider age appropriate.

Where I used to get gel polish done they wouldn’t do under 16’s. Not sure if all places are the same.

But I see you’ve decided to just do regular polish.

Honestly, mumsnet gets wilder and more aggressive by the day!!!

It certainly gets odder when a mum has to ask on SM if her 5 year can have gel nails.

My DD's mid 30s and had none of this stuff. She wasn't interested and even though I like a good dose of slap myself, she was a teen before the had anything resembling make up.

Why not?

Because you’re SPOILING her!

Just get her a couple of packets of the kids stick on ones. I wouldn't put gel nails on a child.

Oh ignore everyone op get her nails done, dye her hair, let her have a glass off wine whist ya there why not! Spoil her