Aimzster
Dianna GAt what age would you take your daughter to a beauty spa?
November 29th 2007 01:26
In the US, girls as young as 6 can waltz into a beauty salon, ask for a facial, manicure and hair extensions without the beauty therapist batting an eyelid or quickly shepherding them out of the salon to look for their parents. Because the thing is, it’s actually the mothers ushering their daughters into these pampering sessions, which some of us didn’t get until we were adults, under the guise of quality time.
Because of the hectic working schedule of many parents, taking time out to spend with their kids is becoming a struggle with more mothers keen on killing two birds with one stone by booking their daughter for a facial while they get their own – I don’t know about you but when I get a facial, I pretty much tune out everyone else’s company.
As a result, beauty salons marketed toward pre-pubescent girls, accompanied by their mothers are a booming industry with billions of dollars being spent to meet the demand. Many predict that Australia will soon follow and I can just imagine the day when I walk into a salon for a manicure and being seated next to a girl whose feet don’t quite touch the floor asking for Fantasy Red nail polish.
But predictably, there are more salons sprouting up that mostly cater for 12 and under girls who want to experience being grown up on their own - like Ooolala, a ‘young ladies’ spa in Illinois. For US$145, your darling little girl can get a full facial with a personal skin care analysis, a massage, a French manicure and pedicure as well as eyebrow, lip, chin and bikini wax while listening to the chipper-music from High School Musical and drinking bubbly non-alcoholic drinks from champagne flutes. Nice.
In an age where little girls seem to be growing up too soon, evident in dozens of eleven-year old girls I see walking around the mall with their boob tubes, I have to ask what happened to those days when, as a 7-year old girl, the things you cared about were if you would ever find your Peaches n Cream Barbie shoes and worrying about your big sister stealing your teacup and saucer set. I had enough hang-ups when I was 18 and finally discovered that having your eyebrows extended toward your hairline was unattractive and I can just imagine the adult I would have become if I had those hang-ups by the tender age of 12.
What do you think?
Growing up too fast
As a result, beauty salons marketed toward pre-pubescent girls, accompanied by their mothers are a booming industry with billions of dollars being spent to meet the demand. Many predict that Australia will soon follow and I can just imagine the day when I walk into a salon for a manicure and being seated next to a girl whose feet don’t quite touch the floor asking for Fantasy Red nail polish.
But predictably, there are more salons sprouting up that mostly cater for 12 and under girls who want to experience being grown up on their own - like Ooolala, a ‘young ladies’ spa in Illinois. For US$145, your darling little girl can get a full facial with a personal skin care analysis, a massage, a French manicure and pedicure as well as eyebrow, lip, chin and bikini wax while listening to the chipper-music from High School Musical and drinking bubbly non-alcoholic drinks from champagne flutes. Nice.
In an age where little girls seem to be growing up too soon, evident in dozens of eleven-year old girls I see walking around the mall with their boob tubes, I have to ask what happened to those days when, as a 7-year old girl, the things you cared about were if you would ever find your Peaches n Cream Barbie shoes and worrying about your big sister stealing your teacup and saucer set. I had enough hang-ups when I was 18 and finally discovered that having your eyebrows extended toward your hairline was unattractive and I can just imagine the adult I would have become if I had those hang-ups by the tender age of 12.
What do you think?
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Are they your kids? Sweet things.
Michaelie
Comment by Holly Go Lightly
Movie Mage
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Which in my household, just would not happen. -.-
Comment by Aimzster
Health and Beauty
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
Holly, goodness, I've seen that too, those showbiz mums who push their kids into the limelight before they're even ready. Result : Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan.
Dianna, makes you wonder if these parents can't think up of anything else to do that's relaxing and being with their children. If you ask me, there's a sense of selfishness here.
Comment by Hope
Gifted Parenting
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
My daughter likes to watch me put on make up and do my hair and wants to do the same as me. Kind of like the little boys wanting to shave. Wanting to be like mum or dad is perfectly natural, but like you said, it's how the parents handle the situation that counts.
Sunday nights are my pampering nights. I put on a mask, soak my feet and do my nails. She joins in with me, within reason.
She puts Sorbolene cream on and uses neutral tones for nail polish.
When we go out, she has a lip balm/gloss and pale pink eye shadow. She tries to put it on under her eyes and makes a mess so I have to show her how to do it.
I don't outright outlaw using make up, even though she is 6 and way younger than I was, but I do certainly put restrictions on what she can do.
She soaks her feet too but I don't use any oils in her water.
She understands that I get to do some things because I'm an adult and she's not.
I wouldn't take her to a spa. She thinks it's a treat to get her hair washed when she gets her hair cut.
Mother/daughter time is important but I don't see how spending it at a spa is really spending time together.
Love & stuff
Mrs M