Boy's Painted Toenails: Sweet or Scary?

My 5 year old was watching his babysitter painter her & his big sisters toenails one day last summer. He INSISTED his get done too! The babsitter called me & asked if it was ok, I told her to go for it! He chose pink and blue alternating toes. She did it & he refused to let me remove it for 3 days! But he LOVED it, he got to be involved with the "big kids" and it boosted his own sense of style. And surprise, surprise, he's still ALL boy! (i.e. Dirt, trucks, football etc) and he's never asked again! I say let them explore all things it's well rounding!!! Making such a fuss over something that all children do, is what causes the issues. I think insisting as a parent boys be boys and girls be girls causes homophobia and insensitivity among males. When brought up to appreciate the other sex and "walk a mile in their shoes" so to speak, children grow up to be more considerate of their counterparts. Would you tell a white child he can't listen to rap music for fear he may "become" black?! I think not.

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I remember my little brother's look after the babysitter painted his fingernails, and this was decades ago. The look on his face! a mixture of pride, delight, and...awe, as if he had done something very, very daring and wsn't quite sure if it was OK. You had to be there, it was adorable and extremely touching. He turned out to be a fine, straight, hardworking man with a lovely family and absolutely no threat to any bible thumping fundie. ...In the book "National Velvet" written in the 30's, in England, in a small village, the young son Donald's toenails were painted by his sister and the world was not split by a bolt from the big sky god. (don['t know how little Donald turned out, though, lol)

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I use to paint my little brothers toenails all the time, green, blue, red whatever. He thought it was fun and silly. It isnt' a big deal as long as they want to do it. it isn't like he is asking to wear makeup to school or anything.

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Adults should be careful about thier motives. Is this about the mom showing she is cool and liberal with social issues this child is too young to fully understand? Do moms get to use their children to make social points? Hey look at me, I'm open to anything? Let her demonstrate her social views in her life. Raise the boy to be open minded and then let him make his own points. I do think this is gender bending at a new level.
And there is nothing wrong with girls and boys doing many of the same things. So don't even go there. But she is opening this child up to criticism by others for no good reason and that is just selfish and thoughtless. Rosa Parks sat herself in the front of the bus. She didn't plant her child there. There is a huge difference.

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It's not so much that she paints his nails because he may think it's cool in the privacy of their house. My daughter used to paint my son's nails all the time and he loved it. Now that he is 5, he doesn't mind it occassionally, but he's really more into typical boy stuff and doesn't want her to do it anymore. What I object to is the mom putting something out there that benefits her and the company at the expense of her son. It's exploitation for their own gain. How's he going to feel in 10 years knowing that commercial is out there and will always be out there. Most likely, he will be extremely embarrased to be known as the boy who got his nails painted pink.

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Thsi is absolutely ridiculous! I have 2 boys 6 and 9. They have both gone through make up and nail polish and they are both very much boys! It is just what little boys do when they wathc the adults or other role models around them. They want to do the same thing. It doesn't mean they will be gay or transgender. You can take a boy that is going to be gay and totally immerse him in everything boy and guess what? He will still be gay! It is just a little boy and a mom having some fun.

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Painting the nails is no big deal. Just on the news last week,about a young boy wearing a dress to school. That bothers me. I wouldn't allow that. You know the boy is going to get teased. Elaine

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It IS a non-story. And sweet. And open-minded. Sheesh!

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the mother is nuts

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