Another day, another new thing to worry about, right? There seems to be so much chatter about these new Skechers Shape Ups. The other night my husband and I saw a Skechers Shape Up commercial starring Brooke Burke. LOL!!! We couldn’t contain ourselves. I’m pretty sure Skechers aren’t responsible for Brooke’s great body. Now all the parenting blogs and even mainstream media are all concerned that these shoes – yes, shoes – are going to erode the self-esteem of young girls across the country. I think girls will like them because they’re, in a word, girly. If I were 10, I’d probably be begging my mom for a pair. But, we’re missing the point here.
Girls are growing up faster because they’re literally growing up faster. They’re maturing earlier because of some serious issues that we should be concerned about – say, like environmental toxins, BPA in plastics, pthalates, etc. Girls are at risk for early maturation, breast cancer, obesity. So, I’m not quite sure how a pair of shoes has made it into the conversation.
If girls get even a little bit of exercise by wearing them, that’s a good thing. And, if they feel cool wearing them, so be it. I watch the video and I see girls being girls – jumping up and down, having fun, singing. That’s all I see. If my daughter were to ask me for a pair, I’d be more concerned with the cost than anything else. Wouldn’t that pair of Asics that I saw on sale suffice?
I don’t think that it’s about girls feeling bad about themselves. Girls do need to encouragement to be active, move their bodies. That, to me, fosters positive self-esteem. It’s not about body image, it’s about feeling good about yourself and feeling and looking healthy.
What do you think about Skechers Shape Ups? Would you buy them for your daughter? Do you secretly think they’re actually kind of cute?
We’re really concerned with the fact that girls are hitting puberty as young as seven or eight. We’ve blogged about the causes – endocrine disruptors found in plastics and personal care products, chemicals in the foods we eat, etc. We talk about it with moms when we’re demoing JOON in stores. We could go on and on about the causes (which we will!), but for now let’s focus on the realities that many young girls are currently facing. There’s a generation of 7 and 8 year olds who are maturing early and they need help in understanding how to deal with it emotionally, socially and even physically.
I came across an article about Kotex creating a new line called U by Kotex Tween that’s aimed at 8 to 12-year-olds. The pads are 18% shorter and narrower than regular Kotex pads, come in glittery boxes, and feature star and heart designs. “The products would look at home on the set of Hannah Montana.” (The New York Times said that, not me, but it’s pretty appropriate!)
Not only has Kotex provided girls with a product that is for them – really what 8 year old wants a clinical looking pad to tote around. I remember the horror when I was young. But what I truly applaud Kotex for is their effort to spark a dialogue between moms and girls. My mom never said anything to me. I had to navigate that time pretty much all by myself. Note to self: don’t do subject my daughter to that.
The clip above shows moms talking to a doctor about “the talk”. The calmness and civility of it is quite nice, but the reality is that we moms are freaking out about the idea of our girls getting their periods at age 7 or 8. (I’d kind of like to see the freak out version of the video and how moms really deal!) I’ve had conversations with moms about other topics such as technology (i.e. texting and “sexting”) and there are the moms who believe that if they don’t talk about it, their kids won’t know about it. If they don’t put a computer in their kid’s room, then he/she won’t have access. I’m of a different frame of mind. I believe that in the 21st century, our kids will get information from places outside the home and they won’t need a computer to access the info. (all they need is a cell phone which I’m sure most kids will have so that we parent can stay in touch with them!)
We need to understand the places and people who are the disseminators of information and place them in our own personal circles of influence.I think that brands aimed at young girls do, in fact, have a responsibility to be more than just fun and cute. Kotex has accomplished both.
Don’t you just love us for adding yet another thing on your list of things to think about when it comes to your girls? In all seriousness, we want to be a part of a positive dialogue and help you to help your girls navigate that difficult transition between being a kid and being a teen.
Last night my son’s school had a viewing of the documentary “Race to Nowhere” – a movie about the academic pressures that our children face in school that is resulting in depression, suicide, increased school drop out rates, and other physical stress-related ailments.
I decided to see the film because as a parent of a pre-kindergartner, I’m already feeling the stress and pressure. If I feel it, I can only imagine that my son feels some form of it. My son has been a fluent reader since age 4, is really into math these days (wants to go to math camp this summer) and loves science. He’s a kid who loves to learn. He also loves being outside, playing soccer, hanging out with his friends and doing normal kid stuff, but given a choice he’d be reading a book. The average person would say “that’s great. what a smart kid!” I’m his mom and that’s what I think. However, at school, I hear the opposite. “His reading comprehension isn’t on par with his fluency. His needs to get better at sequencing. He has too much imagination.” But he’s only 5. Perhaps we should focus more on his strengths and encourage that imagination because, as adults, we all know that imagination gets pretty much squashed as we have to deal with the realities of life.
One would think that the pressures begin in high school. The reality is that they begin much younger. Not only in my experience, but as evidenced in the movie. Kids in elementary school feel that they’re being robbed of their childhood. They have migraines. They don’t want to go to school anymore.
I remember school being fun. Of course, I learned, but I was allowed to make mistakes. I was allowed to learn from failing.
When I think about JOON, I realize that the brand is so much a part of me. I want to celebrate childhood. I want kids to believe in and embrace something positive. I don’t want to criticize anyone – parents or children – for the choices they make. I want them to choose for themselves and have fun doing so.
I typically talk a lot about natural things, but the kids are the core of our brand. They are why we do what we do.
We’ve talked about this before if you recall our “Mom, What’s a Phthalate?” post. The idea that environmental toxins, specifically endocrine disruptors, are causing our young girls to enter puberty at a much early age. Just the other day, there was an article posted on USA Today about this very subject and we believe that it’s worthwhile to write about again.
We’ve been spending a lot of time in our Florida Whole Foods Markets doing demos and meeting lots of moms and girls. We have a pamphlet with the “Mom, What’s a Phthalate?” post printed that we hand out. We love doing these demos because it gives us a chance not only to meet our customers, but to have a dialogue with them and get a better understanding for what they know and what they don’t know. We’ve learned (or our thoughts have been confirmed) that “endocrine disruptors” are not at the top of the list of everyone’s lexicon. Even some Whole Foods moms admit to us that their girls love girly stuff and things that look pretty and smell good, so they are willing to shop at Bath & Body Works for the latest new fragrance of lotion or body wash. After all, they’re just experimenting, right?
We want girls to grow up knowing about better products, healthier products. We want to initiate an informative dialogue with moms so that they can make more informed decisions. It’s so important. As parents, ourselves, we realize that there are so many things that we have to worry about when it comes to our kids. We simply don’t have the wherewithal to fast forward 30 years and consider the health of our children when they’re all grown up. I’m with you. Sometimes it’s hard to just get through today!
The more we keep talking about this and educating ourselves, making better decisions at the store will become old hat. We encourage you to share the link to this article with your friends.
Hi, it’s Carly, JOON Girl of the Month and guest blogger!
Parents aren’t the only ones who get stressed out. Girls my age have a lot to think about, whether it’s looks, popularity, homework, extra activities, and of course, friends! But how do you balance it all out? Well, here’s how I do it….
Look in the mirror. You are naturally beautiful, so don’t let makeup take that away from you. Too much makeup might make you breakout, and who has time to draw on their face every morning? Not me. All I need is my favorite lip gloss and sometimes a little eye shadow. Look at labels, too. Natural products are a lot better for your skin and make the real YOU shine through!
Also girls, a lot of people try to be popular. Just remember, you are who you are! Like me, I have my own style and you should too. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new looks.
Now let’s talk about homework. Remember, don’t overload yourself, but get it done. Take breaks if you have to, but the quicker you finish, the quicker you can hang out with friends. Trust me, you are not the only one who doesn’t like homework.
So much to do, so little time! Kids our age always have so many activities. Whether its dance, team sports, music lessons, or other after school “stuff”, how do you have time for it all and not get stressed out? Make sure you don’t have too much on your schedule. Try to find the most special activities and stick to them. For me, it’s guitar and piano. I love singing too, but how would I have time for all of the lessons? Well, I don’t have to take singing lessons because I have chorus as a class in school! This way, I have time for everything I like to do!
Even though you get busy, be sure to make time for your friends! Every Friday I get together with my neighborhood friends. We all hang out together (boys and girls), playing flag football or learning new skateboarding tricks. It’s a great way for me to have fun and get some exercise after a long week at school!
I hope you like my ideas for a balanced and less stressful life. So, how do you balance it all? I would love for you to share! J
I’ve been out of the office a lot for the past week visiting Whole Foods stores, doing demos and talking to lots of people about all things natural – from the new natural Frito-Lay products to the air we breath to skin care. What I’ve been hearing is that with most people, it’s not all or nothing. Many are doing their best to do what’s best, but few are willing to go hard core in one direction. I even find myself in that category. Everything I buy isn’t organic (I simply can’t afford it), but I do make sure that my conventional fruits and vegetables are triple washed. I do buy organic dairy and meats, but stay away from (most) processed foods. Just the other day, I found myself at a department store make-up counter purchasing a bottle of Lancome foundation. Nothing natural about that, right? I have dark skin and, believe me, I’ve tried to to find a foundation that isn’t heavy and blends, but nothing (NOTHING) came close to working. Finally, I gave in. (I think it’s worth noting that my sister who cooks every meal from scratch, buys ONLY organic, gets her meat from the local butcher, etc. etc. actually recommended the Lancome because she, too, was a loss for a natural product that actually worked.)
So, when is it OK to compromise?
I have a few boxes of Girl Scouts thin mints in my freezer because I was guilted into buying them. I didn’t mind because it’s for a good cause, but now what am I supposed to do with all these cookies? Did I mention that “partially hydrogenated oil” is on the list of ingredients? Did I also mention that I sneak at least once a week? Is that OK? I mean, I know they’re definitely not good for me, but it’s not like I’m eating them all day every day? So, is it OK if it’s just a once in a while treat?
I don’t wear make up that frequently. Maybe for a meeting or of I’m going somewhere special. Otherwise, I’m perfectly fine rocking the au natural look. So, is it OK to compromise by wearing a foundation that I’m sure contains ingredients that are harmful? Again, it’s only once in a blue moon, so is that OK? (And, remember, I did look for a natural alternative.)
I’m curious what you all think. I’m also interested in knowing when, where and with what products you’re willing to make concessions.
We’ve been talking about this for so long that some of you may have started to wonder whether this was all just talk. Well, today Gary and I made our rounds to a few stores in our area and met personally with the Whole Body Team members. They were all awesome – so friendly and so helpful in working with us to best position our new brand in their stores. We actually got to put our products on the shelf in Fort Lauderdale. Edgar, the Whole Body Team Leader for the store, made space for us right next to Burt’s Bees – right at eye level! We couldn’t ask for better shelf space! They’re doing their part and we’re going to do ours to promote JOON and create awareness in their stores. What an amazing first retail partner.
If you’re in the area, check us out on the following dates:
To be a Summer Girl is to live forever, to dance and play, and have the freedom from almost everything. It’s a life of eternal summer. … Melissa Marr, Wicked Lovely
I read Wicked Lovely several years ago when a close friend recommended the series to me. (Warning: Wait until your daughter is at least 12 before you run off to the bookstore or Amazon to buy it!) It’s a fantastical story about faeries and the tension between the Winter and Summer faerie courts. I won’t go into too much detail.
What I absolutely loved about the books was the beautifully vivid description of Summer and the strong connection that the Summer Queen had to the earth.
I see the JOON Girl in much the same way that I envisioned the Summer faeries as I was reading the book. As I think about our young JOON followers, I see amazing young girls who are free – free to express themselves, free to be their own person, free to create a better world. I see them running and dancing and playing and laughing. I love going to events where we get up close and personal with girls, talking to them and seeing them interact with JOON, each other and their environment. It’s what makes everything worth while.
If you haven’t heard, at the end of the month, WalMart is launching a line of cosmetics for tweens called Geo-Girl. I’ve had tons of people e-mail me asking me what I thought of this. I’ve also read lots of blogs, articles, etc of reactions to the line and I feel compelled to weigh in.
As you would imagine, the media and a lot of parents think it’s a bad idea. Why? Because they believe that exposing girls to make up at a young age erodes self-esteem and encourages girls to focus on the exterior self versus the interior. I even read a blogger that said it’s a “Gateway drug”. WOW! I never thought I’d see the day when make up was likened to illicit drugs.
I’m a parent of a little girl. (It’ll be a while before she wants to experiment with make up, but the day will for sure come.) When I grew up in the 70s and 80s, I played around with the Barbie perfume maker, Hello Kitty make up and nail polish and who knows what else. And, that was when I was a kid, not even what we consider a tween today. As an adult, I still like to play around with make up, but I’m not really good at applying it, so I keep it pretty simple.
This isn’t the 70s. Our kids are growing up in a new new world and have access to so many things via the Interweb, phones, apps, etc. Of course the age of experimentation is lower than what it used to be. I think that placing the blame on WalMart’s new line of products is akin to blaming fast food restaurants for the obesity epidemic. It’s our job as parents to instill a foundation for healthy self esteem in our children. And, if they are going to experiment, we need to provide them with safe ways and products to do so. Parenting in the 21st century requires even more vigilance. If you’ve never texted or sent a media message (video, photo) to someone, then how could you possibly understand the world that your child inhabits? If you’ve never watched Youtube or been on Facebook, then you have no idea how fast it is for messages to spread and what your child is influenced by. If you’re computer illiterate, then you probably don’t know how to put parental controls on your computer to block certain sites from your child.
(excerpt from a blog post that I read on the topic)
The line also features products named as they relate to texting, for this supposedly tech savy age group. Great! Not only are they applying pressure for girls to use makeup at such a young age, but also pressure to use technology to text each other. To me, Wal-mart is creating products to profit from shortening, objectifying, and sexualizing childhood— and that is morally corrupt.
I actually believe that the core of the debate about Geo-Girl is less about make-up and more about this new world that our children are growing up in. If you’re going to blame WalMart for “pressuring kids to use technology to text each other” then you may as well vilify Apple, Nokia, Microsoft, Facebook…the list goes on.
I applaud WalMart for the launch of this line. I’d much rather my child experiment with a safe product than the ones I grew up experimenting with. I have yet to see the list of ingredients, but if they check out OK, I’m on the side of WalMart.
I have to say that I’m really loving technology and all of this social stuff happening on the Interweb (really, I know that’s not what it’s called, but I stole it from a good friend because I think it’s quite an appropriate description and pretty funny when you use it in conversation). Curated sales are my favorite these days. I’m a huge huge fan of Gilt.com – I look forward to my daily e-mails announcing the upcoming sales and I make sure that I’m in front of the computer precisely at NOON if there’s something that I’m interested in.
A few people got smart and figured out that we moms also want great things for our kids! BrightZoo is one of those sites (which we love) and there’s The Mini Social which has been around for a while longer. The Mini Social was started by moms with a great eye for great style for kids. And, to top that off, they’ve donated over $10,000.00 to various children’s charities. How could you not love that?
This Thursday, visit www.theminisocial.com for JOON products at exclusive prices. All of our products will be discounted for three days only, so pass this on to your friends!
Mom. Aunt. Sister. Lover of nature. Runner. (soon to be duathlete!)
Middle of the road green consumer (i.e. trying hard to balance practicality, my wallet, the health of my family AND the environment ... that's a lot!) Co-Founder of JOON.
JOON is a part of who I am. It inspires me to do more, to make a difference, to open up a new and accessible world to every day moms and girls. Welcome to that world - the world of JOON.
