Warning… rant ahead… I have 6 children, 5 of which are girls. My oldest just turned 11. My other girls are 8, 3.5 and twin 1.5-year-olds. When my oldest was 7, we went shopping for shorts.
This was my first glimpse into the ridiculous world of youth girl “fashion.”
The teeny, tiny shorts didn’t leave much to the imagination. I’m a grown woman and I’d be embarrassed to wear the majority of the shorts I saw. Fast forward a couple years, my next youngest daughter at 5 and in kindergarten came home begging me for a pair of high heels. She said that a few girls in her school had them. I didn’t believe that they made heels for girls that age so the next time I went to the store, I looked. Low and behold there they were in my 5-year-old’s size (who also happens to be on the small side overall).
Over time, I checked at a few other stores and they were there in each one. These girls who are ripping and running on the playground, being kids, are doing this in high heels? I don’t know how that would be comfortable, let alone practical. Even for a special occasion (wedding, etc.), there are so many other choices of shoes for girls that age.
Fast forward to the present in the YouTube and now TikTok era, and all you see is belly shirts, makeup and other inappropriate things for my young daughters’ eyes and minds. We just went school shopping and my oldest is teetering between the girls’ section and the juniors’ section. There were more options of belly shirts available than there were of regular shirts. I, by no means, am uptight, but come on!
What’s sadder to me is that somebody is buying heels and makeup and super short shorts and belly shirts for their pre-tween and pre-teen daughters, and I’m so mad about it. To those parents who are buying this garbage for your 5, 6, 7, 11-year-olds, PLEASE STOP!
My two oldest just started school (6th and 3rd grades) and came home telling me that kids are wearing makeup… MAKEUP IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL… NOT OKAY! I’m wondering what happens in these girls’ households. Do the parents just not care? Do they get tired of arguing about it and just give in? I just cannot believe that they would willingly allow such things and see no problem with it.
No girls these ages need all of this mess.
If for no other reason, aren’t you terrified that some creep is taking pictures of your girl and doing only God knows what with them? I know that these types of things are not supposed to be “sexualized,” but the sad reality is that they are.
I should also mention that my girls all have a very positive self/body image. They love life and have a magical childhood. I’d like to keep it that way as should any decent parent. Life and childhood already go too fast, please don’t make them go faster. End rant and thanks for listening/reading.
