I saw a disturbing report on one of the Morning News shows. Make-up being marketed to girls as young as four years old. I’m not talking about the fake dress up stuff many of us grew up with. I’m talking about real cosmetics coming in kits that cost as much as twenty-five dollars a pop. One popular place gives parties where young girls can dress up false eyelashes, hair extensions and all.
What killed me were the moms on this report. One said she wasn’t trying to make her five year old daughter “grown” yet, but this party was to make her feel good about herself. Sorry, but that’s a grown up motivation for putting on all that war paint. Here’s the report for you to judge for yourself.
I say, what the hell is wrong with us, America? Why do we have this need to sexualize our children at increasingly younger ages? Even Disney has gotten into the act offering spa treatments for children as young as 4. What message are we trying to send to our daughters–you’re nobody unless somebody thinks you’re hot–even if you’re only three years old? So, what happens when they are 13? They’re a candidate for that godaful Maury show.
To make myself feel better, I decided to post some sayings by kids that actually sound like kids.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids)
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
— Alan, age 10
No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry… God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.
— Kristen, age 10
WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
— Camille, age 10
HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
— Derrick, age 8
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don’t want any more kids.
— Lori, age 8
WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
— Lynnette, age 8 (isn’t she a treasure)
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
— Martin, age 10
WHAT WOULD YOU DO ON A FIRST DATE THAT WAS TURNING SOUR?
I’d run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
— Craig, age 9
WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they’re rich.
— Pam, age 7
The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that.
– - Curt, age 7
The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.
— Howard, age 8
IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
— Anita, age 9
HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN’T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn’t there?
— Kelvin, age 8
HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
— Ricky, age 10
Good Lord. Whatever happened to trying on Mom’s high heels and getting to wear occasional lipstick and that pale pink nail polish???
This was priceless:
WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
– Martin, age 10
Hey Bettye,
I’m with you. That was about as grown as any of us needed to be. Lucky for me, my daughter is sooo uninterested in all that stuff, and she’s fifteen. Knock on wood.
All the best,
Dee
Shelia,
I agree with you. I think I went on a few dates like that a looooong time ago. Too funny.
All the best,
Dee
To be truly disgusted/freaked out, watch a documentary on child beauty pageants. It was like a horror movie – I should have covered my eyes, but I couldn’t tear them away. I could not believe these women were allowing their daughters to look like carnival kewpie dolls in heat! And of course, there was the old “I want her to feel good about herself” – uh-huh, we knew who that “feel good” was for.
Niambi,
It’s like the proverbial train wreck you can’t break free from. When the JonBenet case was in the news I was struck so much by the pictures of her dressed up for pageants and looking so doll-like, not like a child at all. In some ways you can understand folks really looking to them first as suspects since in many eyes (mine included) they were exploiting her already.
Very sad . . .