Essay Time! What are your thoughts?

While surfing around the 'net the other day, I came across a family's blog of a Mom & her two 8-yr.-old sons. It was a running diary of nice, common, everyday events that they all did together -- swimming at the pool, going for ice cream, playing guitar, getting ready for back-to-school, etc. A narrative with pictures.

One item on the blog seemed unusual to me. Nothing wrong with it, just unusual. Mom took her boys to a nail salon. There was a photo posted too, of the younger son seated in a pedicure chair. No sign of his sneakers or socks. He had his left foot in the tub, with his right leg extended. The nail tech supported him by the ankle and was using a pumice block on the boy's right heel.

The mother stated that the older son had liked the manicure & pedicure treatments. The younger boy tolerated the pedicure from a male nail tech, but refused the manicure.

Is this an unusual Mother/son activity? Should salons have an age requirement? What are your thoughts?

User	Comment
Crayons	posted 11-Oct-2009 6:43pm Well, she probably wishes she had daughters. Which one is older, it says they are both 8? I don't think there should be a rule against this, but it's weird and I'm pretty sure it's the kind of thing that 8 year olds would get harshly made fun of for. They don't need it, but it's not killing them. I'd never do that.
Zang	posted 11-Oct-2009 7:05pm This is an unusual Mother/son activity. Salons should not have an age requirement. Those are my thoughts.
LindaH	posted 11-Oct-2009 7:21pm It is unusual, but there's nothing wrong with it.
icurok	posted 11-Oct-2009 7:24pm Why would there be an age requirement for a salon? It's not like there's an age restriction for the hairdressers. And yes, it is rather unusual.
Iseult	posted 11-Oct-2009 8:25pm It is definitely uncommon. I don't have an issue with men getting mani/pedi, but I always disliked the idea of kids getting any kind of salon treatment (other than from the hair salon). I also don't think there is really a need for somebody so young to be getting professional nail treatment; unless, of course, they get ingrown nails or have other types of problems with their feet.
they	posted 11-Oct-2009 8:56pm I think it's nice that they do it together.
Galomorro	posted 11-Oct-2009 10:37pm I certainly would NOT have liked this when I was a kid! But if the kids didn't mind, then it could be just another experience for them.
jettles	posted 11-Oct-2009 10:47pm ok, if the mom has two 8yr old sons, how is one older and the other younger? really, what by like minutes?? no age limits needed. they can have pedicures if they want.
Richard47	posted 12-Oct-2009 1:33am It is not essential to ones development to have manicures or pedicures. And for children, how practical is this as they just go out and play, destroying any of the benefits from either procedure. This mother would have had to initially introduced these procedures to these children. It is not likely that they asked to get them themselves so I would wonder why she even started this practice but no law was broken. The chemicals used for these procedures are toxic and children (especially young children) could chew off all of the protective coating used on the nails. So for that reason, I think that an age limit wouldn't hurt. I assume such an age limit was never needed because, who would do this? I think that a general washing of a childs hands and feet are sufficient for good hygiene, and a reasonable age limit set for these more aesthetic services, would be perfectly acceptable.
bill	posted 12-Oct-2009 5:30am If only my mom had taken me to the nail salon when I was a little boy... then, maybe, just maybe, my nails would not be the horrible mess they are today!
cloudhugger	posted 12-Oct-2009 8:41am I dont know.
they	(reply to bill) posted 12-Oct-2009 9:19am You might be joking... but I actually considered this when I read this survey. Ben used to always complain that his ingrown toenails were a direct result of his mother clipping his nails too short when he was a kid. I don't know if that can really cause them later in life, but if it's true..... professional pedicures might not be a bad thing.
bill	(reply to they) posted 12-Oct-2009 10:51am I was joking. But, I also have an ingrown toenail. Well, not so much anymore, since I take care of it. I've heard different things from doctors about what causes them. My PC doctored echoed that "cut too short" thing. But, a podiatrist I went to more recently (who I liked, made a lot of sense and had practical advice) said it could just as easily have been tight footwear. My PC doctor told me to try to let it grow out and not cut it too short and it would normalize. But, it never did and it just hurt a lot, redness, tenderness, etc. The podiatrist said to just cut it back regularly and live with it (if I keep it cut back it never hurts and the toe is happy/normal looking too). PC podiatrist
they	(reply to bill) posted 12-Oct-2009 12:01pm Yes, I've found the best way to keep mine from bothering me is keeping them short.
bill	(reply to they) posted 12-Oct-2009 12:19pm Have you ever gone to or asked a nail salon person about it? They may have the best advice.
Enheduanna	posted 12-Oct-2009 12:27pm It's unusual, but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Women take their young daughters to nail salons all the time.
they	(reply to bill) posted 12-Oct-2009 12:36pm The one time I had a pedicure, he asked if I wanted him to dig it out and he fixed it for a while.
bill	(reply to they) posted 12-Oct-2009 12:42pm Yeah, that podiatrist I went to did that... it was good to see him do it because it made me realize how it wasn't as bad as it seemed. I sometimes want to go back and have him do it again, and pay closer attentions, maybe take pictures because I still don't do it as well as he did, but I do it good enough and I'm lazy/cheap so yeah.
llamamama	posted 12-Oct-2009 5:39pm I'm thinking I would love to read such a blog.
mandy	posted 12-Oct-2009 5:52pm Nailcare is important. From a health standpoint it would probably be better for the nailcare to happen at home. It is fostering a good and healthy habit for these young men though. It isn't all about vanity.
harry	(reply to harry) posted 12-Oct-2009 7:33pm The boys are less than a year apart in age. The youngest just turned 8. The reason age was brought up = in the photo, the child was sitting at the edge of the chair. With his leg extended, it looked like a long reach to the footrest (uncomfortable?).
meowry	posted 12-Oct-2009 7:44pm "Is this an unusual Mother/son activity?" That's a biased stately. What is okay to some may seem odd, to others. To me, for something to be unusual, it would have to be be harmful in a way. I don't see anything harmful about this. "Should salons have an age requirement?" Yes, actually. I've seen young children (mostly girls) taken to salons and some of them don't look any older than 6. I think that is too young. I think a child should be at least 8 y.o. (preferably 10+). "What are your thoughts?" Not thinking about the mother and her child, but other women. What would they think? It's too easy to assume things of others. And I don't like doing that. But I almost want to assume that there are more people than not who look down on people who are not like them.
Iseult	(reply to harry) posted 13-Oct-2009 1:02am Could you please give us the link to this blog - would like to check it out.
Lysannus	posted 13-Oct-2009 3:27am Nothing wrong with it, as long as the kids don't mind.
cprasky	posted 13-Oct-2009 8:45am Nothing really wrong with it. It may seem weird to the kid's playmates if they found out about it.
gambler	posted 13-Oct-2009 9:39am No its not usual................ IMHO seems a little weird
gambler	(reply to bill) posted 13-Oct-2009 9:44am I have heard taht if you cut a "V" in the middle of the toenail it kinda forces the nail to grow towards the middle therefore solving the in growing toenail issue........ though this could be just BS? I have a minor issue with my Big toes in growing a little and when I cut them i always end up seeing a "groove" where the nail was in my toe (not painful) I end up just cutting it out..with shears, dremmel, jigsaw, black & decker ghrinder, backhoe..whatever is available really..............................
bill	(reply to gambler) posted 13-Oct-2009 9:54am jack hammer? It's on my big toe too. I sometimes get the impression that it gets a little spur that digs in, ow.
gambler	(reply to bill) posted 13-Oct-2009 11:47am
sydnops	posted 13-Oct-2009 10:10pm he was probably either already gay or didnt know that it is wierd for a guy toget a pedicure
Jabbc7	posted 14-Oct-2009 2:54am There have been many times that I have encountered a male-female duo at the nail salon. It seems there are men who enjoy manis and pedis as much as women and have no problem going to get them with that female. As far as the age, I believe the policy has to do with as long as they are receiving service, it's okay for them to be there. They just don't want a bunch of kids running around the salon, but if they're sitting and being serviced...it's okay
Gomezy3k	posted 18-Oct-2009 10:51am I suppose people have the right to do what they want to. Personally I would suggest taking them to a nudist colony... ROFLMAO...
risingroad	posted 18-Oct-2009 4:40pm Hey, if little girls can be tomboys and it is healthy for boys to play with dolls as well as boy-ish toys why not let them experience the pleasures of a foot treatment. I would love a foot treatment.
Biggles	posted 8-Nov-2009 7:09pm Yes, I think it's unusual, but I see no reason that it should be in any way harmful to the boys. As long as the mother is willing to let them choose whether they are involved or not, then I see nothing wrong with it at all. I imagine as they get a little older, they will find it embarrassing and naturally want to stop.

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