10yo wants acrylic nails

[MumToTeenAndTween]

She has been asking for them for about a year and obviously it has been a firm “no”. However, her friends in her class have been allowed to get them done! I can’t quite believe that their parents are allowing 10 year olds to get their nails done!! I have seen the nails with my own eyes so I know she’s not bluffing.

I’ve given her plenty of reasons why I am saying no, but she is constantly pestering and saying all the usual “it’s unfair”, “my friends have theirs done an their nails haven’t been ruined”, “you never let me do anything” etc.

Am I the one being unfair??

Has anyone here allowed their 10 year old to get acrylic nails??

Interested to hear others’ opinions on this.

I didn't know acrylics are so bad for nails tbh, perhaps a different kind of manicure?
Ever since DD13 was 10, the school holidays have been her time to try out a different thing, usually her hair, a different cut or a colour etc and we have discussions about what she wants to try/change throughout the year, I really enjoy having that time with her and seeing her tastes change as she grows.

This is so sad. Let kids be kids - if we took away the adult-led option to have nails and skincare and phones kids this age would still be playing with dolls and stuck in the mud. But we are pushing them to think all this beauty stuff, and how they look matters

I absolutely hate them, they look awful.

At that age my DD had nail stickers / nail art / normal nail polish in school hols, they weren't allowed them during term time.

Around age 13 I started letting her get them done as a Christmas treat so once a year.

Now she's 15 I let her have them during summer and Xmas holidays but she pays herself from a part time job and she's still not allowed them at school (quite strict girls school) so there's not a lot of opportunity.

I'm horrified by the year 3 child story, sums up so much about this country tbh.

Are you sure they’re not those press on ones from Claire’s? Not that they can be very good for you either! Some of my 10yo piano students have nails and they last week to week, or maybe they put a new set of the same on. Quite grown up…!

Absolutely not and I'd be seriously judging the parents, the school and any salon that will do acrylics on a kid.
They're tacky, unhygienic and damaging.
I'd be encouraging different friendships (speaking as a mum or a 10yo DD who doesn't even have shit like this on her radar).

No way. Even aside from all the practical issues, I think they look really tacky, in the same category as fake eyelashes and hair extensions. Not something I’d have myself let alone allowing my 10 year old.

I’m ok with her having normal polish, or occasional gel polish, as a treat in the holidays.

Just keep saying no. You are not being unfair at all. Would the school even allow it?

No reputable salon would do them on anyone under 14 as their insurance wouldn't cover them

Absolutely no way! I’d be amazed if any decent salon would do them for a 10 year old anyway. I get them occasionally and they make shite of my actual nails. Takes ages for them to recover.

Can she not have gels or shellac instead?

I would be worried about her developing an allergy to the acrylic which is very common and can cause problems with medical procedures in the future.

I think you should let her have her own way, maybe find somewhere that’ll do false eyelashes and lip fillers at the same time to save you money?

She’s a child FFS!

Very odd that any salon would even do that.

Get her some stick on ones she can mess about with at home or perhaps take her to get them painted with regular polish at a salon for an occasion or something but definitely no acrylic. I’m a long time acrylic nail fan but got them for the first time as a treat in the summer holidays when I was 15. I didn’t start having them constantly though until I was 18 with a full time job and could pay for them myself.

That would be a very firm no.

I would not even offer press ons at 10 years old.

Whatever happened to kids being kids. I think it's a bit sad really.

I'd be okay with nail polish for an occasion. That is about it at that age.

Absolute hard no.

My twins are ten and that’d be a hard no from me. I do let them use cured gel nail sticks ons. They are soft and self adhesive and peel off in the bath without damage but look pretty good on. I buy big packs on Amazon and choose all the sensible colours for me and the girls get the fun colours. Just trim them down with nail scissors and file off at the end.

I much prefer these to nail polish now.

As others have said, a firm No. I can't imagine any reputable salon agreeing to giving a 10 year old acrylic nails. I don't know any primary school that would allow them. It's something that could easily be caught during PE or even through play at lunchtime etc. My son's secondary school wouldn't allow them, let alone a primary!! I think in year 10/11 the girls are allowed to wearing 'natural makeup', but no fake lashes or nails.

Let your daughter have some stick on nails for special occasions. Acrylic nails don't do the natural nail underneath any good at all.

What !? 🤣🤣 I have acrylics and bathe, do buttons up, bath pets, bake, Swim etc etc, where have you heard this crap LOL.

@Flowers999
Are you 10?

I can’t quite believe that their parents are allowing 10 year olds to get their nails done!!

This answers your question.

i don’t think the child should have them- but why couldn’t someone do those things with acrylic nails???

things I’ve done with acrylic nails:

buttoned my clothes
groomed my dog
tended my allotment
steered my canal boat, taken it through locks, cleaned the engine
painted my boat
run a half marathon
played tennis
held babies

just a bit puzzled by the logic!

Press ons for weekends, if she’d like to experiment.

And you can tell her they are far more popular with younger women now- it’s we millennials that are obsessed with acrylics. All my Gen Z colleagues are using press ons. They’re really good these days- and some of them look amazing.

Aside from the health risks of getting acrylics, which are starting to be exposed, it’s an expensive cycle. Because it’s not just once you get them, it’s on repeat.

I would say to her she’s not getting them on your watch, and once she’s 16 or older and is earning her own money, she can decide then if she wants to spend her hard earned money for it.

Honestly, I can’t believe nine and 10-year-olds are even getting them. I’m really horrified.

I'm very unmumsnet so I see no problem with it. She's a girl who wants her nails done. She's not asking for a tattoo. Just make sure they are short enough not to interfere with school.