Today's 7 year old?

[daneuse27]

Feeling depressed after a family gathering with my cousin's 7 year old daughter.

She had painted nails, and a face caked with make-up, pierced ears, had an iphone that she was singing Rhianna songs by heart from. She was super spoiled too; my mom had given her an Easter present that she just tossed aside without saying thank you. Before I was about to leave, she came up and asked me if I had any Easter presents for her.

Please tell me not all 7 year old kids are like this? Isnt there anyone who still wants kids to be kids?

 

[isil]

I don't have a 7 year old myself but the ones I see where I work (in a school) aren't like your cousin's daughter. Except for they might know some songs by heart and paint their nails for fun. But then I remember knowing the words to all sorts of songs that really weren't very suitable for my age! Most of the children I know are very polite, thoughtful, enjoy playing still. I think there is a lot of pressure on them to grow up quickly. By age 10 I wouldn't say many of them 'played' with toys and their interests are pretty much boys, music and sport.

 

[daneuse27]

Well, at 10 I think I had pretty much outgrown toys too, and I know I wore make up for fun from an early age. I knew Spice Girls songs by heart which I didn't understand the meaning of until I grew up. I think boys were becoming interesting around that age too. I guess everything combined in this girl was just a bit of a shock. She was also wearing high heels, a mini skirt and heavy perfume. :/

 

[isil]

I think she's an exception rather than a norm. High heels should be for playing dressing up at that age imo

 

[daneuse27]

Glad to hear that isn't the 'norm!' I hate the thought of my daughter being like that at 7.

 

[alicecooper]

This is my 7 year old

Admittedly she's had her nails painted this week by her older cousin, but only in the way little kids like to play dress up. Each one a different colour. It's worn off now though, and her nails are teeny little stubby stumps anyway because she bites them, so it hardly looked glamourous.

-She doesn't have pierced ears
-She doesn't wear makeup
-She doesn't even wear jeans - she lives in jogging bottoms and t-shirts
-She has never even tried on a high heel. She wears trainers, and flat sandals in summer. Or wellies if it's raining.
-She doesn't wear skirts apart from party dresses for a parties (the kind with a big bow at the back and a frilly collar), and knee length dresses for summer time like this :

-She doesn't own a phone
-She doesn't watch music videos unless I specifically put some on (on youtube) - and I veto them first - no raunchy stuff allowed.
-Her favourite film is Matilda
-Her favourite songs are : The Macarena, Crazy Crazy Nights by Kiss, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, Welcome to the Jungle by Guns n Roses, and Sugar by System of a Down (but we skip past the swear words).
-Her favourite books are Enid Blyton ones - she's currently reading the second Famous Five book.
-Her favourite games are Chess, Guess Who, Go Fish, and Backgammon. Aside from that she loves drawing pictures and arty-crafty stuff, and riding her bike or fliker scooter.
-She also likes animals, and loves pretending to be an animal.
-Her favourite computer website is the Nick Junior one. She likes playing games as well like bejewelled.
-She's very polite, though she can be a bit of a lazy bum if I ask her to do something, she does usually do it - she takes the rubbish out for me, loads the washing machine, tidies toys up, makes breakfast for herself and her brothers (cereal), and makes drinks (dilute juice) for herself and her brothers. Also she cleans the staircase banister for me once a week and dusts the window sills.
-She also enjoys taking the dog for a walk around the field, and playing fetch with her.

I hope that's instilled a bit more confidence in you lol. She's a good lass my Lydia.

 

[daneuse27]

This is my 7 year old

Admittedly she's had her nails painted this week by her older cousin, but only in the way little kids like to play dress up. Each one a different colour. It's worn off now though, and her nails are teeny little stubby stumps anyway because she bites them, so it hardly looked glamourous.

-She doesn't have pierced ears
-She doesn't wear makeup
-She doesn't even wear jeans - she lives in jogging bottoms and t-shirts
-She has never even tried on a high heel. She wears trainers, and flat sandals in summer. Or wellies if it's raining.
-She doesn't wear skirts apart from party dresses for a parties (the kind with a big bow at the back and a frilly collar), and knee length dresses for summer time like this :

-She doesn't own a phone
-She doesn't watch music videos unless I specifically put some on (on youtube) - and I veto them first - no raunchy stuff allowed.
-Her favourite film is Matilda
-Her favourite songs are : The Macarena, Crazy Crazy Nights by Kiss, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, Welcome to the Jungle by Guns n Roses, and Sugar by System of a Down (but we skip past the swear words).
-Her favourite books are Enid Blyton ones - she's currently reading the second Famous Five book.
-Her favourite games are Chess, Guess Who, Go Fish, and Backgammon. Aside from that she loves drawing pictures and arty-crafty stuff, and riding her bike or fliker scooter.
-She also likes animals, and loves pretending to be an animal.
-Her favourite computer website is the Nick Junior one. She likes playing games as well like bejewelled.
-She's very polite, though she can be a bit of a lazy bum if I ask her to do something, she does usually do it - she takes the rubbish out for me, loads the washing machine, tidies toys up, makes breakfast for herself and her brothers (cereal), and makes drinks (dilute juice) for herself and her brothers. Also she cleans the staircase banister for me once a week and dusts the window sills.
-She also enjoys taking the dog for a walk around the field, and playing fetch with her.

I hope that's instilled a bit more confidence in you lol. She's a good lass my Lydia.

Thats a huge relief! Your daughter sounds like a wonderful child

 

[alicecooper]

Thats a huge relief! Your daughter sounds like a wonderful child

haha thanks. Don't get me wrong, she has her difficult moments lol. Trouble is she's clever so she sometimes thinks she knows best. But all in all she's a good egg.

 

[isil]

aww, Lydia is fabulous!

 

[Rota]

Another 'normal' pre teen here as well. DD,Rachael is 8, almost 9. She has her ears pierced once, doesnt own heels, lives in jeans/leggings,is dotty about animals and also pretends to be an animal 90%of the time, doesnt have a phone. Currently reading harry potter

 

[meli1981]

i have a seven year old daughter. she will not own a phone until she can pay for it herself, she loves my little pony, and cartoon. she will not wear make up until shes 16, she wears tshirts and jeans and sneakers, although does have pierced ears. and if she doesnt say thank you her toy gets taken away shes still my "baby" and loves to cuddle with her mommy

 

[Decosta1228]

There are still songs that I listen to that only click when I listen to it after a while

I think that the 7 year old is not the norm. Although still not sure about kids having phones at that age. I mean who are they going to call

*shakes fist*Get off my lawn*

 

[seoj]

ME!!! Lol... well, my hubby and myself both had guidelines when it came to our oldest "growing up too fast". But, we also had to fight against the way her bio-mom taught her to be. If she'd had her way (even though she only saw her twice a month)- she's have her coated in Kim K. makeup, long fake nails, hair done all up and wearing very inappropriate clothes by 9yrs!!! Trust me- it would sometimes make my heart ache when my SD's was dropped off at home after a day (of beauty) with her Mom- BUT- lucky for us, she's a more natural girl when she is home (which is 90% of the time). I won't even say some of the things her Mom tried to get her to do well too young! Just insanity. Let her be a child!!!

But now, at almost 16- she still wears barely any makeup- dresses very age appropriate and is such a lovely and self-assured young woman! Despite her Mom's "influences" in her younger years... lucky she knows better now

I also think that the fashion industry is insane- and should stop promoting children to wears heels or off the shoulder/strapless dresses- or makeup. I sometimes see these children walking around and it breaks my heart. I just think they shouldn't be so concerned with that yet! I know it's easier said than done- but I wasn't allowed to wear any makeup till 13, I dressed appropriate etc... We will have the same rules as our LO grows up too.

I don't think it's the "norm"- but probably more so than it was when we were kids. It's just in their face more with FB, reality TV, and all the other outlets we didn't have when we were kids. As for cell phones- my SD did have one at 10yrs (that only called programmed #'s)- BUT, this was only so she could call us when she was with her Mom. As her mom didn't always allow her to call otherwise- and she'd just gotten overnight visits back... so we wanted her to feel secure. She is very responsible with her cell phone now- way more than most I'd say. But that's because we gradually loosened our rules and guidelines as she earned it.

Sorry for the novel- just a pain point after what we went through.

 

[HGsurvivor05]

I have a 7 year old and think some kids round her are growing up too quick, I am a nursery nurse also and see the difference in pre-school children, its scary. My DD gets a bit of nail polish in hols (not school days) and has fun dressing up in my heels and dresses but this is all normal growing up and wanting to me like mummy. She also borrows my ipod on speakers so her barbies can go to a disco but I would never allow her at this age to go out with make up on or wear heels use a mobile phone etc. For christmas and birthday's she asks for barbie or lego but did come home after school after christmas break asking, 'why did I not think of putting an ipad on my list' I explained because she was a child and children play with toys not ipads and she was far too young to get something like that, the reply ' well 3 p1's got ipads, so i will put it on my list next year!' her class is p1/2 and consists of 10 p1 pupils and 3 of them got ipads, how do you explain to a child how santa can give some children ipads but he doesn't give to others?? I so wish it was like the old days and kids respected real toys and used their imaginations. I am so lucky with DD as she has fantastic imagination and will play with her barbies etc for hours making up stories using a white board to 'teach' them at school but I feel the pressure out there these days is getting so much worse as my daughter is also bright and will wonder why santa can give one child and ipad and another a barbie. I do have a tablet myself which she has used with my supervision but her favorite thing to do on it is puzzles. I know of plenty kids her age that do have ipads, tablets, i phones but too me and this is my personal opinion its wrong let kids be kids and worry about the technology when they are old enough to respect it and understand what these items really are. One of DD friends who is only 6 has an ipad and her dad was saying he was thinking of getting her the nexus too as they are slightly different WTF!

Thats my rant over but yes I think there are alot more little ladies out there than we can imagine but my DD is not going to be one of them.....yet anyway

 

[SerenityNow]

My almost 9 yo and her friends mostly read, play with dolls and stuffies and play out in the woods climbing trees and making fairy houses.

She hears more pop songs than most of her friends because she has a 13 yo sister. I'll admit she does a hilarious version of Taylor Swift's We are Never Getting Back Together. She also will sometimes ask to put on make up when we are at home, to which I say -- Go ahead. Just make sure you wash it all of when you're done.

 

[LittleLady04]

My 7 year old doesn't wear make-up, will occasionally have her nails painted in the school hol's for parties etc, she lives in leggings and t-shirts, she loves reading Rainbow Magic books and never uses the internet.

She does have her ears pierced and she does own a Kindle that she saved up for using pocket money from Granny, birthday and xmas money and we gave her the last bit she needed to get it whilst it was on offer, it has strict parental controls on it and only me and df know the password to download suitable games, songs etc.

She spends most of her time writing, drawing, reading, making things, writing stories and doing math sheets. She still likes to play with dolls and teddies, loves Sylvanian Families and playing outside with her sisters. She loves animals and helps to look after the cat. Her favourite animals are horses and ponies.

 

[chulie]

My niece is 9 (she's like another daughter to me). She grows up in a very privileged home. She's in competitive dance so for 2 months of the year she is always decked out in scary make up an way too grown up clothes. She owns an I phone AND a Mac book air! Hahaa HOWEVER...this story has a huge but...even living that life. My niece is the sweetest most down to earth little thing you've ever met. Any time we at together she loves to curl up in my lap (which is getting harder because she's so tall) and we read stories...watch kiddie movies like ice age and talk about kiddie things. I actually cry any time I watch her perform on stage because I can't believe that mature confident young lady on stage is my little peanut. She's also the most selfless child you've ever met. For Xmas she actually asked us all to spend less on her so we could donate to children who don't get as much. Our family every Christmas we adopt a family for the holidays and give them all the things they need. My niece actually took the lead and collected money all year to save and buy them nice things...she is the most kind "older sister" to my daughter and is so darling it's beyond comprehension. It kills me to know people see those girls on stage and think they are spoiled brats because my niece couldn't be further from that.

Sorry I got a little carried away. Hahaha. I usually do when thinking about her. Now I will never be able to afford the things for my daughter that my sister gives her...but I still hope my daughter grows up to be half as selfless. I don't think a child's behavior has anything to do with what they're given. I think it's all about how the parents choose to raise them and my sister has become a standard to which I can only hope to compare....... So ya. That's my 2 cents. Hahaaa

 

[mandaxx]

No way! That's awful! My seven year old loves dinosaurs, wears ribbons in her hair, won't own a phone for several years, most certainly won't be near makeup for a long time, doesn't want her ears pierced, wears jeans and animal tops like with zebras or white tigers on them as she loves them. Carries a teddy bear almost everywhere, and watches things like Sponge Bob Square pants. She is very much a little girl and I'm keeping it that way! She's a little dote, very kind to her little sister. Xxx

 

[daneuse27]

All your little girls sound wonderful! Very refreshing to read. I felt sad about the future after spending time with my cousin's daughter and now feel better. Thank you!

 

[steff]

My daughter is 8 and she dresses in the clothes I buy her. She is really big for her age and is 4'10" so I have a real hard time buying her clothes her age. She is on the last size of Children's place apparel: size 14. I don't let her wear short shorts. When she goes out with us, she does wear the regular length shorts (a dress or jeans), a cute t-shirt, or blouse i braid her hair or sometimes she wears her hair in pigtails or a ponytail. She has never worn heals. She wears flat sandals, ballet type flats or sneakers. We had her ears pierced when she was one and she wears the simple type of earrings. I believe our girls will dress at this age, the way you want them to. I do bring her shopping and I ask her to pick out the designs of the tees she likes. She will usually pick out the real cute ones anyway. She does own an itouch, my old one. She has some music in it, but she prefers to play games in it or watch Disney movies. She also still loves playing with toys with little houses, My little pet shop, and little pony. She still sleeps with her stuffed animals and is very shy around new faces.