You had a "Wendy Wards" program that catered to 5 and 6 year olds? Wow - news to me! I was a teenager in the 1960s and our local Monkey W. promoted its "Wendy" program to high-schoolers. Goodness knows, teens in that decade certainly needed a few lessons in manners, etc. but it was assumed at that time that younger children were still in the clutches of their parents and listened to adult admonitions (however reluctantly) about proper behavior.

Perhaps if you monitored what your little precious was watching on TV and looking up on the internet she wouldn’t think the shaved look makes her look older. Maybe just maybe she is a bit young to be looking at shaved adult women.

Or maybe it’s everybody else’s fault BUT the parents.

By the way, women don’t shave down there to make themselves look like “prepubescent little girls” They do it because it looks better than the old 70s style briar patches that women used to sport.

That and oral sex. Trust me it’s allot easier to get a guy to go down and stay down if he doesn’t have to hack through a pile of hair to get there.

http://www.clublibbylu.com/

Spas aren’t all highlights and manicures – there are skin treatments as well.

I developed severe acne at the age of nine, and could have benefited from a monthly facial and natural, gentle skincare products in a soothing, friendly environment. Instead, I was subjected to injections, painful chemical peels, and strong drugs with unpleasant side effects. None of those aggressive treatments helped much, and it wasn’t until my late teens that I discovered a milder regimen could work better. It’s great that gentler – and more effective – acne treatments are available to girls these days.

Also, infant massage isn’t intended to relieve stress, but to promote social and muscle development. Orphanages all over the world have started massaging the babies in their care, and it’s made a huge impact on the development of these children.

To TheDon who is concerned about his 11-year-old shaving her pubic area: If your daughter has something to shave that would otherwise show in her bathing suit or gymnastics outfit, I assure you, it would be much worse for her not to shave it because she is "too young." My mother did not allow my to shave my armpit hair as a 12 year old, and it resulted in constant ridicule from my classmates. (I was far too obedient to complain about this to my mother.) I shudder to think what would have resulted from exposed pubic hair. Your wife knows what she is doing, there's a big difference between a bit of judicious shaving and a "Brazillian wax."

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.

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.

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!

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.