Skinny Kids on Channel 4

[Abbey]

Help!!!! I have just watched Skinny Kids and am amazed at these youg girls being so body aware. i am the mother of a 3 year old. Please tell me whether it is inevitable that little girls start wearing makeup etc. or are these girls the exception to the rule? I am worried that my ilittle girl will grow up too early.

This was a pretty scary programme. I have two DS's and it does seem to be more of a girl thing. I don't know, I think if I had a daughter she would not be allowed to wear high heels (especially not to the park) until she was much older (21 or so ). I also don't know what the mother showing her nine year old how to shave her legs and put on makeup was thinking of.

The thing that concerned me is that as a family we try to eat healthily and my DH and I exercise regularly believing that this is a good thing for our family, which of course it is but seeing these children on TV tonight worrying about their bodies many of them seemed to have got their hang-ups from their parents. One of the girls mentioned her mum weighing herself every Wednesday and another of the girls said that her Mum only ate a small amount of dinner from her plate at night.

I hope these girls are the exception to the rule but I think as parents we have a responsibility to our children to help them find the right balance. I know I don't want my kids being laughed at by their peers because they look totally out of place but on the other hand I want to preserve their childhood for them for as long as possible.

I saw this programme last night and, as a mother of a 10 year old girl, 5 year old boy and 1 year old girl, I was absolutely disgusted. My DD1 has just turned 10 but is nothing like these "little women" depicted last night. No way would she think of shaving her legs, wearing male-up, wearing high heels, etc. She is still a little girl (at heart) although her body seems to be growing up faster than her mind (little "buds" growing, etc.). No way would I let her shave her legs, wear make-up, wear revealing clothes, even if she wanted to.

I think sometimes the mothers like to relive their childhood through their children. No way would I take my daughter shopping and buy her "grown up" children's clothes. I like children to stay as young as possible for as long as possible.

I am not saying these children "ask for it" but the 8 year old wants to be a "pole dancer" when she grows up because it will make getting men easier - my 10 year old wouldn't even know what a pole dancer is.

Absolutely disgusting - the mother's should know better.

I haven't watched it yet (as I was out last night) but I constantly despair when I see all these tarty clothes in the shops for young girls in places like Tammy, Top shop etc. even M & S is getting tartier with crop tops, bras for 8 year olds and skimpy clothing.

My DD (16) thinks it's appalling as well. I can't belive that she was wearing dresses until she was 11 and didn't own a pair of jeans or leggings!! Mind you I have to put my foot down with FCUK t shirts now, I forbade her to buy the one with " Je suis Horny" on it!!

You only have to look at kids magazines to see how they are encouraged to want all these things. Claires accessories is full of 7 and 8 year olds at the weekend, too much money to spend!!

I wouldn't let DD have her legs waxed until she was 15 as she threatened to shave them! They weren't hairy but "everyone else has been doing it for ages"

I agree with you Alibubbles, what on earth are shops like Tammy doing in selling thongs that fit 8/9 year olds. My DD likes "big" knickers but try finding some that fit at 10 year old - the best we can find are "mini's" which she still feels are a bit too skimpy.

My stepdaughter is 11 and nothing like this either, though she is growing up now, and does fret about her body sometimes, which I find very sad. She certainly doesn't wear high heels, makeup or shave her legs.

I remember I used to like "big knickers" at that age Bumblelion

Reading this thread has started to make me guilty because one of my DS's favourite activities is getting the scales out of the cupboard and standing on them. Of course at age one he doesn't know what he is doing but he is so obviously copying Mummy (DH never weighs himself).

I found this programme really worrying, I've got two daughters, and can't imagine them growing up like this - it seemed clear that the mums had played a big part in making their daughters the way they are, little carbon copies of themselves. I'd be absolutely horrified if my daughter even knew what a pole dancer was at 8 years old, never mind aspired to be one, yet that mum was just sitting there smiling away as if it was funny!

This programme saddened me. I don't want my 3 year old to live in this kind of environment, and I don't think that trying to counter-balance things at home will be enough as I am not prepared to make her be totally different to her friends.

What is the best way to let children be children - do schools have a role to play? I feel as though we all share a responsibility for media portrayals of women and it is up to all of us to try and change things if we don't like them, I'm just not sure how to do it.

It's frightening isn't it? My dd is not yet 2, but I think it's difficult not to worry. There seems to be such a push for children to grow up far too young. But how can it be stopped? There are too many factors involved, and society is never going to go backwards.

I Do think parents are the biggest influence. I only saw the end half of the prog, but it seemed to me that the mums I saw were encouraging the behaviour. The pole-dancing comment in particular upset me, but I was shocked by the whole thing. What ever happened to childhood?

I didn't see the programme but my daughter already makes comments about weight. I really don't think this is from me since I don't weigh myself, never diet etc and make a real effort not to make these kind of comments in front of her for this very reason.

BUT, I remember when she was in her pushchair and would offer her ice-cream to any stranger. Women nearly always said, 'Ooo, no, I'm watching my weight/can't eat that' etc The weight message for women, in particularly, is so subliminal. It does make me incredible angry though, the thought of my child developing an eating disorder terrifies me.

I agree, i think it is awful but i think a lot of you are underestimating your children, most kids of 10 know what a pole dancers, its just that most 10 year olds don't want to be one. As soon as kids join secondary school shave their legs, its something everyone their age does and you can't stop them doing it because they will just get picked on. at 11 their not little kids anymore, they're young adults as much as you don't want to admit it. i don't know what you think thongs are for, i wasn't aware that they were for anything else but too hide your knicker line. I don't agree with 8 year olds dressing up like teenagers other than on special occasions.

Should kids that young be interested in hiding their knicker line? At age 8/9 that Bumblelion is referring to (I assume this is the comment you mean) I still had teddy bears or little flowers on my big knickers (VPL didn't even come into it) and I would hope that if I ever have a daughter she will do too. I also would not be happy about them dressing up as teenagers for special occasions, what is wrong with dressing up as little girls (after all surely that is what they still are) for special occasions?

I agree demented.

My stepDD is often dressed in these skimpy clothes when she comes to stay, and she is only 8yo.
I don't like it one bit, but it's not my place to comment, her mother buys her clothes.
Quite apart from them being too sexy, they are not very suitable for winter weather or family activities. We like to get the kids out of the house, trudging up mountains, walks through the country or along the beech etc. We always seem to be searching the house for more suitable/warm clothes for her to where before we go out, scarfs, gloves and thicker coats.

My step daughter is 11 and is very much not a young adult. She likes kids tv and picnics and playing netball and cuddling and making things. She isn't the least bit interested in boys, thongs, or high heels. Yes, she's showing more interest in clothes, and tries to be more sophisticated in her conversation etc but that doesn't mean she's not essentially still a child. Teenagerdom is clearly on its way but certainly hasn't arrived yet. I think we rush our kids to adulthood at our and their peril.