Is it me?

Dancing but definately not skimpy clothing and make up. Children are pretty without it and it doesnt improve their dancing skills.
And definately NOT put photos on phones they can get to all sorts of unsuitable places on Facebook.

seadragon. Usually I tend to be the one saying "Don't be a voice of doom" or wtte. But in this case you are right. We need to be aware that we do not know who is looking at our children and in what way they are perceiving them. We must learn from the recent past. We thought Rolf Harris was a sweet avuncular man, until the shocking news came out.

It is time to protect our children. Certainly never posting photos of them in the media, not even innocent ones. Never.

I am sorry to sound so serious. It really is a serious threat.

Personally think dancing classes/shows should be fun first of all, and most of my dgd have been in this category. However oldest one was in the over the top make up sexy poses etc and her dance teacher encouraged children of 3&4 to have acrylic nails done. Personally I thought it was awful. Strangest follow up though is that said dgd now has given up dance and is playing rugby. Has gone from being caked in fake tan and theatrical make up on stage to being caked in mud on a rugby pitch

You're certainly not the only one - the sight of little girls all made up makes me feel quite queasy.

I do worry about who might be looking at these youngsters, especially as most crime dramas seem to feature child sex trafficking these days. I also struggle with the skimpy costumes adult female gymnasts and some female runners wear for similar reasons. The boys are clad in trousers for parallel bars and shorts for other events. Sometimes a thread of dental floss is not quite enough!

My GD's school has a policy that parents may take footage of their children in school plays but they must not put it on social media.

I think it depends on how it is done. Theatrical costumes and makeup are necessary in the theatre. When I was a child, I used to pinch my sisters' makeup, swirl a scarf around my neck and totter up and down in high heels far too big for me impersonating a grown up. No one took any notice and I wasn't molested.

If, however, you are putting makeup on kids, dressing them provocatively, taking photos of them in suggestive poses pouting and putting it on social media, then yes, that makes me uncomfortable. And those US pageants are nauseating.

Or, as I have seen on occasion, children out and about dressed in clothing that is far too advanced for their ages. Heels, short skirts with midriff on show (they'll get a chill in their kidneys!) carrying hand bags. Plenty of time for that later on, let them remain what they are. Children.

I do still chuckle at a memory from years ago. There was a somewhat 'precocious' 'child' in my middle sons' year at primary school. In the last year she was taller than me, wore short skirts, was very pretty and if I had been her mother I would've been very worried indeed but she seemed to be very proud of the fact her daughter looked around 16. My son went to the end of school dance. He was probably around a foot or more shorter and when I went to collect him, they were slow dancing at the disco and his head was rather uncomfortably resting on her cleavage! I don't think he said much for a week. He looked so embarrassed

They do grow up fast these days. Let them stay kids for longer.

Margs Beyond the (horrid) DATE NIGHT tshirts, I was recently in a playground with my two small GDs when I saw a lad of eight-ish wearing a tshirt emblazoned with ‘Lock Up Your Daughters’. I cannot begin to imagine how anyone, anywhere, thought that could be appropriate.

No, with you there. Unnecessary and worrying.

I just thought, whenever this is raised, nobody says it is fine or that it is normal and harmless. The responses are always of outrage, fear for the children, shock and distress that it is inappropriate and carries dangers.

Very sadly one can recall that photo the parents produced of Madeleine McCann in make-up posing provocatively. At the time the enormous response was one of horrified shock. Why would the parents choose a provocative pose and make-up picture of a 4 yr old child they were adamant had been abducted and the strong suspicion was directed towards Paedophile rings as the source? The world was aghast then. Yet people go on to put these hideous pictures of their innocent children onto the public arena. Do people never learn?

Daddima. Me too - very uncomfortable and saddened. The children don't understand but there are many adults (I had to work with some and did research regarding it) who think the children's behaviour behaviour implies knowledge beyond their years and the terrible older males will act on this. Therefore I think it is actually unsafe. I see it everywhere.

I do not know what we can do. Years ago I saw the friends of my own daughter in their early teens going out in skirts that showed their underpants. That horrified me. I hate to feel like an old harridan who is saying "What is the world coming to? In my day we behaved with decorum..." But it really is very frightening. I don't understand why the parents cannot see the dangers. Even the shallow and empty headed part of it to be thinking we need to be painted to look good.
Ugh!

It's the posing on social media that's the problem, totally wrong. I can't understand why any mother would do it.

Sorry - Toots! Damn predictive text!

To its - that was absolutely lovely! The epitome of 'Dance as if no-one is watching'!?

I was at an event a few years ago where some children were happily playing and one mother called out 'photo!' to her little girl, aged about 6. The girl immediately stood up and posed, hand on hip, full pout etc. Mum took the snap and then the child carried on playing. It turned my stomach.

I think the issue is the actual displaying all over the internet. If I stared through your window at the exact same thing I would be arrested and you would see that I was arrested, so why transfer same to the whole world.

I agree totally. It is a gut feeling I get and usually, that means I am right.

Quite agree. We live in a Pedo world I’m afraid, and all that makeup and sexualisation of little tots is, nowadays, wrong.

I have to agree. My GD strikes these poses which look sexual. I hate it and can't believe her parents don't seem to notice. They let her wear skimpy clothes too and she's only seven.

One of our granddaughters has appeared in various stage shows. Make up needs to be heavy when lighting is inadequate. In my opinion costumes can be colourful and as 'blingy' as you like so that they can be seen but they do not need to be scanty. I think that the issue here is the after show close up photography in full make up and scanty costume, with inappropriate pouty posing appearing on social media for eternity.

Agree it’s dreadful. I don’t like seeing my 3 year old DGD in mock dressing up heels

@Toots - What a a glorious shambles. I reckon some of the audience barely made it out without hysterics.
Do you think you could map their future paths from their expressions and performances?
As you say, as it should be - wonderfully chaotic and entertaining.

Fair enough make up for the stage etc as features disappear from a distance.
Some , if not all of the skimpy costumes look, quite frankly ridiculous on anyone say under 16!
Like a few of you, the "P" word comes into my mind when seeing photos of youngsters dressed and made up like this, especially when posted on social media - you might think that you are safe, but how many realise that your "friends" may have friends that you would not want seeing your pics?

We are, this week, staging a pantomime with 18 children aged from 8-18. Make up is essential to portray the character, show up on stage and compliment the costume. My GD has several appearances, both dancing and singing and is wearing a tutu style costume, with leggings, and will be wearing make up, UV and glitter. She also performs as a semi professional actor/dancer and wears make up.
IMO the issue here isn't so much the costumes and make up but the poses. There are strict rules regarding children working in theatres and shows. If any one has a concern it should be reported to the theatre and/or company putting on the show.

My DGC have been in various productions & competitions. They love to feel special and do enjoy achieving well! It just does not require turning them into mini adults with dubious morals! Recently DGD was most put out that in the school production of LesMis she was too young to be a prostitute! I understood that was to do with the performing rights licence. Seems that appropriate appearance/ roles can be overridden in some dance competitions!

Yes, the under-teenies seem to be pressured dreadfully to grow up fast and even faster - it's so darn lucrative, I'd suppose.

Recently, I was entering a well-known supermarket and a display of t-shirts had blue ones (for the boys, I assume) and pink ones (for the girls, I also assume) and both had the words "DATE NIGHT" emblazoned on the front.

Going by the sizes I'd say they were definitely being marketed at the under tens.

I would have loved dressing up /makeup feeling special trying hard to achieve .As a child there was fancy dress rouged cheeks, just a bit of fun and family photos .