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AIBU

To not like nail polish on little girls?

(98 Posts)
Hopehope Tue 11-Apr-17 00:04:28

My DGD who is three and a half always seems to have nail polish on. I don't say anything, but I think it is a terrible idea. I once just said " Oh nail polish!", DIL said that is it special stuff for kiddies from Boots, not harmful to the nails.

As I said I didn't comment, life is too short, but I think little girls should be little girls, plenty of time for all that later.

what does anyone else think>?

gillybob Tue 11-Apr-17 00:18:51

My 2 granddaughters (11 and 9) love nail polish on their toes and fingers (weekends and holidays) . They could sit for ages. I can't see anything wrong with it tbh as long as they take it off for school.

suzied Tue 11-Apr-17 04:17:16

I can't see anything wrong with it, you can take it off at the end of the day, it's no worse than hair bobbles or bracelets. I'm not keen on pierced ears on children,especially before they ask for them. but my GD ( aged 9) is asking for them, her mum says she has to wait till she's 11.

Bluebell123 Tue 11-Apr-17 05:33:01

Both my GD and GS and lots of their friends wear nail polish to school sometimes. Often a different color on each nail. I live in N.America. Kiddies can wear whatever they choose to school.
Today my grandson went to school wearing his sister's clothes! Just for fun.

PRINTMISS Tue 11-Apr-17 08:21:04

Like you Hope I really do not like it, but it seems to be the trend, and will probably die out in due course. I just sometimes wonder, the way children are encouraged to do what I consider to be 'adult' things, whether there will be anything new for them to enjoy when they are adults.

Anya Tue 11-Apr-17 08:29:14

More important things to worry about. My GDs like pink, princesses and all that stuff. But at the same time they play football, tennis, swim, cycle etc. and can hold their own in a wrestling match or a verbal battle with their boy cousins.

To my mind they have the best of both worlds.

Mighty girls sunshine

PRINTMISS Tue 11-Apr-17 08:39:21

Anya I don't understand the trend for girls to want to compete on a level ground with all the things I once considered to be boys activities. After all, we do not seem to encourage boys to play with dolls and push prams around.

Badenkate Tue 11-Apr-17 08:47:43

This isn't anything new though. I'm 69 and I can remember putting nail varnish on (not very well) when I wasn't very old.

Kittye Tue 11-Apr-17 08:50:31

Badenkate You beat me to it! ?

Badenkate Tue 11-Apr-17 08:59:03

Boys have played with dolls for years PRINTMISS: they were called Action Man and GI Joe. On the other hand, my mother bought me a doll every year - and I hated the things. I spent most of my time outside building dens in the forest with other boys AND girls. I thought we were getting past girls' things and boys' things.

TerriBull Tue 11-Apr-17 09:01:16

Little girls like faffing around with their mother's make up our granddaughter, often had nail varnish when she was younger, not so much now her nails have to be kept short due to flare ups of eczema. However, what I really hate is Lolita type suggestive clothing, exposed midriffs etc. on children.

Teetime Tue 11-Apr-17 09:15:03

Yes I agree TerriBull I worry about children being gussied up in adult paraphernalia and worrying about fashion and make up- plenty of time and angst for all that later. I'm old fashioned I suppose I like to see a school uniform (whatever it is) for school days and other clothes for non school days. My GS favours football shirts for all occasions- I'm not mad on that but its clean and tidy.

harrigran Tue 11-Apr-17 09:34:03

GDs have the peel off type nail varnish for when they are dressing up but never wear it for school. One GD is into karate but still likes to dress as a princess smile

hildajenniJ Tue 11-Apr-17 09:40:20

What about little boys? My DGS aged 4 lives to have his nails painted by his big sister who is 10. He once met me off the train, ran up to me and waved his hands in my face saying, "look granny, nice nails". He was just 3 then!

trisher Tue 11-Apr-17 09:42:00

GD has her toe and finger nails painted in summer. It has helped stop her biting her finger nails, so I think its a good idea.

Caro1954 Tue 11-Apr-17 09:42:13

Hope, I don't really like it but didn't know there was special stuff for children. It's also to do with other "nanny" saying "it doesn't matter what Mummy says" ... My DD and SiL are separated and she will do anything to undermine DD. Whole other issue though, sorry.

ExaltedWombat Tue 11-Apr-17 09:46:26

Is any nail varnish harmful? What's special about the children's type, except the marketing?

annodomini Tue 11-Apr-17 09:50:23

I've seen my GD with nail varnish when she was much younger, but the reason was to try to stop her biting her nails and take pride in them. It didn't work. At 14 she still bites them. sad

Jalima1108 Tue 11-Apr-17 09:52:37

DS used to push Action Man around in a little pram belonging to DD when he was little. He is very sporty and has grown up to be a lovely daddy to little girls who love nail varnish and sports. One plays football.
No nail varnish for school though!

ajanela Tue 11-Apr-17 09:58:16

3 and half, well she is really copying Mum, and having beautiful painted nails is so normal these days and everyone talks about their nails.. I don't like it but at least if it is a special one for children then better than normal nail varnish.

Alidoll Tue 11-Apr-17 10:17:24

Printmiss - are you being serious? what's wrong with girls wanting to play with boys toys and compete on the same playing field?

Is engineering just a man's subject and midwifery or nursing only for the ladies?!

I loved playing with my brother's Lego as a child (long before the Friends and Elves sets arrived). I climbed trees and played football. I also sent my Sindy doll down death slides (from the hall window to the back fence) and attached home made parachutes to her as she plummeted to the ground on daring spy missions with my neighbours Action Man. I watched Star Wars and loved reading science fiction.

I now work in health and safety (considered by some to be a male orientated role). Have done research on firefighter training and the nuclear industry.

Who cares what "type" of toy a child plays with as long as it's safe and they are having fun.

Why stereotype a child by the toys or the games they play? It's hard enough as it is for woman to do well in engineering, science and other "male" dominated fields without curtailing their play as youngsters with outmoded views on what a boy or girl should be playing with. This isn't the 18th century where a woman's place is in the home and the man goes out to work. I'm all for encouraging girls to believe in themselves whether that means playing with Lego and / or joining in with football (working as a team, co-ordination, keeping fit and healthy) or dressing up as Rey from Star Wars.

paddyann Tue 11-Apr-17 10:30:47

Printmiss my son is 29 ,he had a doll and pram when he was little and a toy vaccuum cleaner , his Grandad was horrified but he wanted them so he got them,grandad didn't even like him having an UMBRELLA as he thought it was girly....lol My lovely son is now a fantastic dad to a bright and beautiful 7 year old His days of changing dolls nappies came in very handy.He also races cars on weekends for fun too

Yorkshiregel Tue 11-Apr-17 10:36:36

My little niece has always been treated like a doll her Mum can dress up. She has a 'dressing up' box full of all kinds of things. I don't think a little bit of nail varnish is going to harm, better than some of the outfits you see in magazines for little girls these days. When her little friends come round they have a great time deciding what to dress up as. Some little girls have their ears pierced these days (which I think is wrong as they do not have the choice themselves) so I think a little bit of nail varnish is not too bad. I think little girls should be allowed to have fun as long as they are not dressed in things way too old for them. ie sexy things! Just asking for trouble imo.

moobox Tue 11-Apr-17 10:36:46

Mine seemed to have had it on at school too, complete with added jewels

Yorkshiregel Tue 11-Apr-17 10:40:17

When I was little my Mum used to dress me up in pretty dresses, white socks up to my knees and ribbons in my plaits. I used to come back home from playing with one plat hanging loose, no ribbon, my knees all green from playing marbles and my dresses dirty and sometimes torn from swinging on ropes in trees! I loved football and was usually playing with boys toys. Don't worry about your DGD she will find her own way in life.