Who would have guessed that you, so hounded in life, would have ended up as a ROLE MODEL for today's mothers!? We will never know if, and to what extent, you played a role in your daughter's unfortunate demise. But apparently many of us feel you were "right on" in the way you directed her life. R.I.P.!

I've heard about this insanity from parents (I'm child-free, so don't have to deal with the constant assault on children's psyches this monstrous nonsense entails). I know it's about advertising dollars (apparently teens don't spend freely enough anymore for Madison Avenue's maw), but it sets my teeth on edge. The industry can protest all they want that it isn't about sexism, but, oh, my, that's exactly what it will inculcate. Get girls trained early that they have to spend all their energy on superficial appearances, but nothing on their intellects or their unique personal strengths. Complete this indoctrination by, oh, 11 or so, and we'll have the world reactionaries want: women who are so frivolous they can be safely ignored and devalued for the entirety of their adult existences.

Girls will have 60+ years of feeling inferior, regardless of their own personal accomplishments, to men, and to those few other women with the right combination of genes that permit them to meet whatever arbitrary standard of beauty marketing departments have created during their adulthoods. They should have the first 15 (or so) years to just be themselves (actually, they should have ALL of their lives, evil Feminist that I am): to run, play, build, create, get dirty, whatever. They should get to know who they are first. Puberty, with all its conflicting hormonal messages, will be upon them soon enough.

When I was a 4 or 5 year old girl, back in the mid 1970's, my grandmother signed me up for a "charm" course called Wendy Ward's. We learned the proper way to manicure and paint our nails, how to walk gracefully, and other stereotypically feminine things. At the end, we had a little commencement ceremony, all dolled up in dresses, gloves and matching hats and purses.

Going to Ladies Night in a Thong means you're no longer a lady? Way to call other women sluts.

I think people are getting a little hysterical about this -- NPR is having this series "Children and the Media" and the people interviewed are just so shocked, SHOCKED!, that their ten-year-old might have already heard about sex.

Well, if you don't keep your 10-year-old in a cage in the basement, then yes, he/she has already heard about a lot of things. My question is, what's the harm? where's the problem? I mean, how long do you expect to control absolutely everything your child sees, hears, does, thinks?

Everyone should take a deep breath and calm down.

First, little girls want to be like their moms, like little boys want to be like their dads. I don't think that there is anything wierd or "sexualized" about a frou-frou woman having a frou-frou daughter, and I resent the implication that womanly things somehow taint little girls. I think this is an insidious form of misogyny, one that sneaks into the minds of feminists. Like liking barbies and the color pink and pedicures are all bad, and if she was a girl worth her salt she would just be a tomboy.

I have a six year old girl, and while I try to teach balance between caring about your appearance and everything else in life, I realized early on that it was rather mean of me to belittle the unicorns, rainbows, play makeup and pretty shoes that she likes. She plays soccer with pink shinguards and a matching skort. She fishes with a Barbie fishing rod.

Yes, I have witnessed this absurd phenomenon of bringing children (under 16) to spas for treatments. I was recently in a VERY pricey spa in Houston where I often go for peace, quite and pampering when a father with THREE young chldren walks in and starts reviewing their afternoon with the receptionist. I was in shock! I assumed the dad had the kids for the day and decided hey, what the hell! While I get my scheduled whatever they can too! They were chattering, looking around at everything, and generally disturbing my peace and quite and it practically ruined my visit. I have also seen mothers bring in their very yound girls to the salon for "mani pedis" alongside everyone else who is sthere for peace, quiet and pampering. What are they thinking?? It is not cute, it is not nice and it is totally without regard to everyone else in the salon which is meant for grown ups, not babysitting. Whay can't they go to a pool, a park or even a movie? Why flaunt their generosity at the salon or spa!? I think it is outrageous that they allow strangers to touch their children, give them facials or even massages, isn't that rather creepy? I think salons should have to restirct clientel to 18 and over. This is not appropriate nor is it fair to the, excuse me, grownups who are trying to escape children for a couple of hours!

It's not just adults worried about looking pre-pubescent - it's also young girls. I was surprised to find a razor blade in the girl's bathroom when my oldest was 11. I was shocked to find out through my wife and my niece that "all the girls" shaved, probably because of the images from the internet and elsewhere.

My little girl was SHAVING HER CROTCH! at 11. The sexualization continues.

Young girls like to emulate their moms, aunts, or whatever other female role models they have. My nieces see that I have nice nails, well-groomed hair, and wear skirts and high heels. They know that I sometimes go to get facials with their moms. They also see, though, that I wear a suit to an office, that I'm an attorney, and that their mom/aunt is a doctor. It's all about what messages you give in total, not just a single type of activity. It's very possible, if not expected in some professions, that you can be strong, independent, successful, powerful in the office, and still dress well, wear makeup, get highlights and do your nails. You can even get manicures, wear nice lingerie, and indulge in spa treatments and still somehow manage a career. If young girls can see the entire package, then they won't assume that getting their nails done is to "sexualize" them, but rather that it's one part of creating the entire package that they (hopefully) admire. Yes, if you take your girls to the spa, and then teach them how to flirt, and then have a string of boyfriends coming in and out of the house while you buy trashy underwear at Fredrick's with them in tow, then getting their nails done is the least of their issues. But if you parent them responsibly, then a little "girl" time with their moms is harmless.