very very disturbing! and the wee kiddies look 100% more gorgeous in the before shots.

I would never let my child get make-up tattoos, when she is old enough to not need my consent to get a tattoo then it will be up to her and thats fine but never as a child. Ears and belly button piercing is ok cause they can be removed, tattoos are permanant.

Beauty pagents are not really my thing but if my daughter wanted to do it for fun then sure why not.

you should check out youtube and see that 14 year old girl - she's also in photoshoots that show her just wearing a g-string and bra! it's disgusting that her mother allows this

scars from piercings are permanent. and i take it semi permanent means they come off in time- what's the problem? better that than real ones that they may regret later- and yes teens can get them without consent. better to know i say

totally 2nded from another women in her 30's with not a single item of make-up!

I think it's the saddest thing when I see young girls (especially babies - why would you hurt them on purpose???) with pierced ears?

What kind of message does it send to say to such young children that they would look better, or be improved by changing themselves?

Kids these days apparently have the lowest self esteem in recorded history (toxic childhood, Sue Palmer), I really think the pressure of appearances constantly bombarded by media etc is a significant part of that.

Society as a whole would be better off if we were all more accepting of our looks & the media could portray a range of "beauty" as seen by different cultures, not just the tall, skinny, blonde, straight haired women that are so ubiquitous.

The very fact that you even say, Donelle, that your looks are not your strong point is a sad indictment of the expectation that women should be good at everything and hot as well.

In any case, from the few photos I've seen of you, I think you look great! Very natural and happy, which I also think is a huge thing for your childrens self esteem, as a confident mother is the best indicator for her childrens future esteem.

Another awesome blog post! Thanks!

Like you Donnelle, I was alot creeped out by this story!! If my child came to me and asked for that, my stipulations would be similar to my mothers view on Tattoos - you can as long as you are not living under my roof and are over 18.. Except I would say over 25, only because I look back at 18 and think that some of the decisions I made then weren't .. mature... But beauty pageants... Depends. We aren't as extreme as overseas countries, and it would be nice when they are in their teens.. But I'd say that any kids I have with my current partner would be too busy in the outdoors & sports to even have time to contemplate that!!

18. I'll consent to piercings at pretty much any age, but tattoos are something you take on yourself once you've reached majority.

@Lil Miss Trouble, from my understanding, most makeup tattoos these days are done with semi-permanent inks, that are meant to last only a few years. There were quite a few people who got stuck with awful fashion makeup tattoos in the early days. Still, not something I'd enter into lightly, especially the idea of tattoo needles doing eyeliner, eep!

I find the thought of makeup tattoos really disturbing! As i understand it, she got 'eyeliner' and 'lip liner' done -doesn't this now set her up for a lifetime of having to wear makeup, cos it looks like she's got some on already? I'm like you Donnelle, and oh so rarely wear the stuff (weddings and Very Important occasions) and that's my choice. Now she can never have the choice to go au natural, which (i'm presuming) would be an outrageously unthinkable thing for her mother to do -so women can't even go to the letterbox without a full 'face' on!

I don't think girls should be getting bellybutton piercings under 16. It's not a 'pretty decoration' in the sense that earrings are and they nearly always develop nasty infections (ewww soo remember this). I loved mine but I won't deny it was cause it was 'sexy pretty' not just 'oooh sparkly'. Don't have it anymore cause my body rejected it after about 4 years..

I am regularly so disturbed by how sexualised girls become at such young ages that I genuinely hope I never have daughters. Young children should not be entering contests based on physical beauty or wearing makeup AT ALL let alone having ink injected into their bodies. Yes, in a perfect world good parenting would mean your girls don't feel the need for such things, but the fact is the media and their peers will be bombarding them with the message that their worth is entirely based on their looks and this is impossible to avoid short of moving into an Amish community.