In not liking the idea of nail painting for the children at a pre-school coffee morning ?

[Wheelybug]

Children are between 2.5 and 4 and they are planning on having tattoos and nail painting at a coffee morning to raise money for the pre-school. I don't think its really appropriate.

Would you say something ?

And a bit of nail varnish can be wiped off later in the day too, but one would not want ones child to like common now, would one

Common chidren have face paints to you know, they also wear clothes, go to schools, live in houses. Its quite common for most children to this? does your child? then they too are common

I think the tattoos are less appropriate than the nail painting.

Face paint is a b*stard to get off. I'd prefer nail polish.

I wouldn't do fingernails - I don't tend to bother doing my own because I always smudge them before they're properly dry. But DS (3) has had varnish on his toenails for weeks, although it's rubbed off on all but one big toe now. DH cringes every week when DS has to take his socks off for tumble tots!

Just to finish this off - most of you will be pleased to hear this morning we asked if it had to be done in the middle of things and we got met with a refusal to acknowledge our point. So, we'll just not stay which is a shame as I do like to support the nursery.

For the record - I made no distinction between boys and girls. I just think they have plenty of time for nail varnish etc and have always told dd she can do it when she's a big girl and don't want this decision/rule taken out of my hands. .

Thanks for input everyone - I think its probably a fair sweep of opinions and no doubt they'll raise lots of money from it .

I've found this thread really interesting, because I realise I'm full of ridiculous double standards when it comes to things like this. I let DD (3) dress up of course, and have her face painted. She sometimes asks to play with my make-up when I'm home from work, just before her bath time. I allowed it - she didn't try to do it properly - she just drew all over herself.

But like the OP, I'd probably be a bit if my DD's pre-school suggested nail painting. But, ironically, got temporary dora tattoos etc for her recent birthday party for everyone. I have no idea why I think nail painting is in a different league to everything else, but I just do. It's like I had to wind my neck in at Disney land recently watching all the tiny girls walking around in their cinderella makeovers.

If I really analyse it, I suppose it's because dressing up as a fairy, face painting and picture tattoos seem childish and fun. Nailpainting and emulating grown up style make-up (like mad hairsprayed, powdered faced, red lipped cinderellas) is copying what grown women do to (by and large) make themselves appealing to the opposite sex.

I wouldn't like this sort of thing either for such young children. I don't like the idea of the chemicals in nail polish and nail polish remover being so close to small children. Not all parents are going to have bought acetone-free nail varnish remover.

Because it's often just me and Tink around, if I do something she wants to too. She asks to have her nails painted (all 20) if mine are and if she finds the bottle. She also asks for me to do her make up (and does her own if she gets hold of it!) but I just use my brushes and pretend to do it. I think it's all part of pretend play, it's normal to want to be like Mummy/ Daddy.

I got told off by the nurse at the hospital when Tink had her last asthma attack because she wasn't very cooperative having the monitor on her toe and it was made harder by the fact her nails were painted

I think the 'common' comments are a bit out of order! Not a nice term unless you mean 'popular'.

BUT it is sexualisation of children, albeit in a mild form.
Make-up is for women - we use it to make ourselves sexually attractive, to allure.

Little (tiny!) girls wearing make-up disturbs me. I do not want my daughter to be sexually alluring - she is 2 it is not appropriate.
Yes- she may want to be like mummy, but I don't let her drink alcohol either- there are some things for children and some things for adults- sexual attraction is not a thing for children imho.

Chemical nasties is another good reason, though I believe you can get 'play' nail varnish and make-up which I assume are water- based?

Personally, I don't like tattoos particularly, whether permanent or temporary. But for adults- that is entirely their choice, and I wouldn't judge someone by the colour of or on their skin!

Yes, what EachPeach said.

I am very glad that I don't have girls! I just don't like it.

I wouldn't want my two year old to have their nails painted. I am guessing the tattoos are for the boys and the nail-polish for the girls?

Ah, c'mon people, these "temporary tatoos" are what was known in the Olden Days as "transfers". They usually consist of cartoon characters or teeny-weeny fairies or something similar. They wash off with soap and water any time you want them to in my experience.

Agree with eachpeach.

As an aside, my DP (aged 37) has his toenails painted all summer long and wears sandals with them on display!

He loves it. He favours paler pinky colours and couldn't give a hoot about the ribbing in the football locker room.

Yes, notbigclever - that's why I think tattoos are ok as well. They're like those silly things we used to get with Bazooka bubblegum!

Just pictures - like having bath paints or whatever.