Children and Makeup

We often hear people complaining that this generation of children are growing up too fast. This is true but I don’t think it is simply because they are exposed to more adult ideas through the media. I think sometimes parents need to remember they are children.

I work in a small shop and a few days ago a mother came in with her young daughter. The little girl could not have been more than five years old and yet she was wearing perfume. After a few minutes in the shop, she demanded to have “her lipstick”. Her mother promptly got out a bright pink lipstick and mirror and the little girl applied the stuff herself. I can understand little girls wanting to get dressed up for a party and I don’t think we should never allow children to wear make up, but allowing them to wear make up and perfume on just an ordinary day I think makes them behave more adult.

Yes, I do believe that exposure to programmes such as Gossip Girl, which is popular with girls a bit older than the girl in my shop should shoulder part of the blame. Fashion and the characters styling is what has helped make the programme so popular, but I don’t think stopping children from seeing these programmes is the answer.

I think the answer lies with parents. I don’t think we should encourage young children to wear perfume or make up or dress like adults; we should encourage them to play and forget about looks. They will spend plenty of time worrying about their looks when they’re teenagers, so why make them start worrying now they’re children.