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Makeover parties for 8-year-olds?
Filed under: Opinions
A few years ago, when she was about six years old, Ellie was invited to a makeover party at a local salon. The salon catered to children and was outfitted with a special party room where girls could get manicures, pedicures, hairstyling and makeup sessions. The special makeover room was decorated in frills, feathers, sequins and lace and the girls just loved it. Ellie came home from the party with her hair styled into an up-do and sparkly makeup on her face.At the time, I didn't see anything wrong with a six-year-old getting dolled up as a party activity - and I still don't. But Ulrika Jonsson, a columnist for the UK's Daily Mail, sure does. She sees these types of parties as just another way to sexualize little girls and says she would sooner cut her left arm off than allow her 8-year-old daughter to attend one.
Her concerns are rooted in what she perceives to be the premature sexualization of young girls. She draws parallels to skimpy thong underwear for five-year-olds, underweight celebrities and those mothers who are obsessed with their own appearance. While I agree and share her concerns about society's tendency to mold little girls into sex objects, I don't see the makeover party as part of the problem.
To me, a fancy hair-do and sparkly makeup applied at a party is nothing more than playing dress-up in a group setting. And haven't little girls been doing this for as long as there have been little girls? I did it, my mother did it, and I would be willing to bet that my mother's mother did it, too. Does the fact that it happens in a commercial venue change the basics of what it is? Am I missing something here?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
11-10-2008 @ 11:57AM
Jenni said...The problem is that little girls today are allowed to participate in "grown up" activities and the result is that you have 10 year old girls looking like 16 year old girls (and acting like it).
I was allowed to play with make up and things as a child but under NO circumstances was I allowed to wear make up and things out in public. Nope, had to wash it all off to even step out the back door. I'll do the same for my little girl.
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11-10-2008 @ 12:12PM
Melissa said...I agree with Jenni in this respect: I would never let my little girl out of the house with make-up on (she's 2 and a half and very girly), but I will let her play with it at home. I even bought her some cheap make-up so she wouldn't get into mine anymore lol! But I don't see anything wrong with a make-over party, it's dressing up and they are going home afterwards. They do "Princess" Hair-do's at Disneyland, no make-up, and it's no biggie. It's all in fun, they go home and wash it off!
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11-10-2008 @ 2:15PM
queenoqueens said...What she is missing is that the little girls themselves do not see it as "sexual". To them, it's being just like mommy, or one of the princesses they see and read about. It's about taking on a role, much as an actor would.
I am all about keeping girls as innocent as possible for as long as possible, but a makeup party isn't the problem. It's the messages being sent out at home.
I had a princess party at a salon for my 6 year old that involved putting on princess costumes and having their hair done up and makeup/nails. The girls enjoyed themselves, and my daughter has not since asked to put makeup on. I have to say that we took my daughter out to the mall to have lunch after her party, and I wasn't even thinking about the fact that she had makeup on......oh boy, the looks I got!!! I'll never make that mistake again! In my mind, it seems ridiculous to purposely have your child wear makeup, so it didn't even occur to me when we left the party! The things people assume......
I never wear makeup myself, and I don't like the idea of indoctrinating your daughter with stereotypes. But I think that trying to cram things down their throat, rather than giving them your rational opinion (and being living proof of it), is less likely to work.
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11-10-2008 @ 4:32PM
Jenni said...It never really means anything (sexual or otherwise) to a childother than fun; but there are boundaries. There are privilages that you earn at certain ages based on your maturity and age.
I remember my mom explaining it to me this way: If I let you do ____ at this age, you'll want to do ____ at the next age; and I won't allow you to do ____. You'll get bored and want more and I don't think you are ready for ____.
End of story. When she told me that, it stuck with me; every time I asked her for a privelage afterwards, I understood why...for the most part; I was, afterall, a teenager who thought her parents knew NOTHING!
11-10-2008 @ 3:14PM
Karen said...Make-up and an up-do and glitter and fingernail polish don't equal sexualized to me.
I'm much more concerned with the clothing and the atttitude than about overdone make-up and hair.
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