This weekend, I was a bit crabby and a little annoyed - so I left the house with Maggie. I needed to get a pedicure, and I figured she could sit on my lap and watch. She ended up being VERY interested and we painted her fingernails and toes purple and she thought it was MARVELOUS.
My mom never did these things with me. I actually don't think my mom has ever gotten a manicure or pedicure in her life. We were always tight with money, so I'm sure that had something to do with it, but she is also just not that kind of woman. She shops at LL Bean and Land's End and for something special, maybe Talbot's. She isn't a frilly, fingernail painting kind of woman. I'm not really either, but I do love keeping my toenails pretty, and it does give me a smile when Maggie plays dress up or spins with a twirly dress.
So when everyone was telling me a was crazy for 'starting her so early' on the fingernail thing, I just shrugged my shoulders. It's fine. It's fun. And we like fun! Cameron was very interested in this whole ' paint on your fingernails' thing.... but kept saying, it's just for girls though, right? I said that there are a bunch of different colors, and if he wanted, we could do orange sometime. He nodded his head and walked away.
Maggie purple fingers chipped and she was getting upset about it. I don't have any nail polish in the house, so I ordered this set. It came yesterday, and it's a nice, quick drying polish (although it's matte, so if I used it I'd need a topcoat). It also has 24 fun colors including orange. This morning, Maggie saw it in my bedroom and insisted on pink nails - and Cam wanted orange. So, I sent them both to school with painted fingernails. Cam was super excited about it, and I'm really hoping that the other three year olds think it is fun and not 'for girls'.
That is one thing that annoys me about about the gender 'rules'. I can completely understand why boys would like the girls stuff - it's bright! and sparkles! and twirls! and all their toys are dark colors and tough and usually trucks or balls. If any boy expresses an interest in things bright and sparkly, they are quickly told 'that is for girls' whereas girls can play with pretty much anything. As long as Cam is interested in things like fairy houses and orange finger nails, I'm running with it.
5 comments:
When my twins were 2 my daughter and her cousin had red nails and my son wanted some as well so I painted them red. He was THRILLED!! I got yelled at in a pizza place that he was a boy and should have his nails done. I felt like you do that if they wanted it - what was the harm. So good for you! Keep going with your gut - you are a great mom.
I was shocked to find out that the gender "rules" start so early. When I was trying to potty train K, she wanted awesome panties with her favorite "friends" on them. I couldn't find any panties locally that had Buzz or Woody or McQueen, etc. So, I bought boys underwear and she enthusiastically wore them. Until I was reprimanded by a teacher at her school for her wearing boy underwear...then I made a special trip to Target (45 miles away) to find girl panties with her favorite characters. WHO CARES? She is wearing underpants and not wetting them - THAT is the priority here.
If Cam wants orange, blue, pink, glitter nails - more power to him! It is beautiful and fun and of course he will want to do it too. Only natural.
Sorry for the length...this just gets me worked up!
I have been painting Emery's toenails with Piggy Polish since she was just a few months old. Her fingernails we started around two years. She got her first "official" mani/pedi a few months ago. I don't see anything wrong with it at all. Also, Piggy Polish offers decals, so we've done flowers on her toes as well (big ones only and had to use the smallest flowers).
As for Cam, I think that's totally natural. Our son did the same thing when he was Cam's age and saw his grandma painting her nails. I wouldn't even give it a 2nd thought!
I, for one, approve of nail polish on boys. :)
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Funny you posted about this. My almost 3 year old loves to have her nails and toes painted. We don't do it often, but it's fun when we do. My husband acts like he doesn't like it because she is so young. But I look at is as innocent fun!
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