Hell to the no it's not good for little girls! At least I knew when I was little that Barbie was a toy! To encourage little girls to be dolls is soooo disturbing. Definitely not what the world needs now.

Good point — I think there's a difference between playing with Barbie and wanting to BE Barbie.

Where are the girls getting the $ to go get "done" each day. I think that's the real problem. I don't have kids but I don't think I would be giving them $ to go get makeup put on daily. A few years ago my cousin gave her then 6 year old daughter a "diva birthday party" where all the girls got their hair, makeup and nails done then they drove around in a limo. It's all too much. Play with the doll don't become one.

I agree! I used to play with Barbie all the time, but I don't think I ever wanted to BE Barbie!
I mean...I didn't start playing with make-up and my hair until I was like in Grade 6...so 12ish years old.

I think age 3 is too young to even be playing with Barbie in the first place. I think i got my first Barbie when i turned 5 or 6 and i still remember receiving it.

But should even a 6+ year old be trying to be like barbie? I would highly discourage it. Granted, they have made a lot of changes to the essence of Barbie in the last few years. The proportions have been modified, there are now more barbies that have more "meaningful" occupations, but is it enough of a change to make Barbie a healthy role model? I think not.

When i have children will I let them play with barbies? Yes, but not until they reach a certain age. Would I take them to a place like this so they can actually try to be like Barbie? I seriously doubt it. I don't think it's a healthy mind set to get into. I would much rather have my children dressing up like princesses or fairies or other fictional characters than have them try to emulate Barbie. It teaches children to try to grow up too quickly and be "sexy" WAY too early in life.

Barbie may have issues, but what really gets to me are those Bratz dolls. I wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole.

Ha! You're right, Gibsongirl. Compared to Bratz dolls, Barbie looks like Andrea Dworkin.

this is disturbing....

There are so many reasons this seems inappropriate to me, I don't know where to start.

I agree with everyone above saying that it's one thing to play with Barbie and another totally to want to Be Barbie.

Ok, so cute idea, they just took it way too far!!!! Little girls paying to get their hair and make-up done at 4 years old?? That's a bit much!

It is a very cute idea but I would NEVER bring my child to it. Way to young! Plus how do you know how well all that stuff is cleaned and sanatized?!?! So many NO NO NOs.

Dont see anything wrong with this...why?

#1 - last time I checked, girls DO like to play dress up and play with Barbies

#2 - how can u honestly ASSUME that little girls REALLY think "oh, wow! let me stick my finger in my mouth so I can have Barbie's waist measurement"??? NO! they like the fact that she comes with cool shoes and a pretty dress. THEY'RE JUST DOLLS.

#3 - it's a boutique...not a private school to wh*re a little girl. It's suppose to be a fun, one day thing...those little girls that go there everyday? they come from wealthy families. Think Paris Hilton. Not everyone in Argentina would afford this, plus that's what rich kids do: whatever they want. As for the one-day kids, makeup washes off and I've heard they have some magical substance called "nailpolish remover".

#4 - I wish AMERICA would quit blaming childern's behavior on pop-icons like Barbie....it's always "blame spongebob for my kids obesity cuz he's on a candy wrapper" or "gangster rap made my kid shoot their school" and "my kid thinks street racing is cool just cuz the hogan-snob-kid does it"....TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR KIDS' ACTIONS AND STOP POINTING FINGERS AND BEING SCARED OF STUFF LIKE THIS! YOU ARE THE ADULT AND YOUR ARE IN CHARGE. It's perfectly harmless. Losen up and have a little fun.

#5 -just for kicks- some people actually DO think math is hard.....I KNOW! hard to imagine, but true! who woulda thunk it?? is that a flaw? NO. Sorry....we cant ALL be perfect!

#6 - If u guys have such a problem with this, maybe u should be writing letters to BRATZ and Hannah Montana producers to stop poisoning the mind of little girls all over the world...start a crusade to stop the insanity before you slap a lawsuit against poor Miley!!! ...OR! OR! how about this: live in a box.

lmao...chill people. it's in Argentina....FAAAAAR from todos ustedes. Your little girls are out of harms way.

ciao!

erratic-assassin you are so right girl! i hate it when people blame everyone else for their spoiled, ignorant, and messed up kids. you raised them!!

you make some very valuable points about taking control as parents. i don't have kids, but i see so many of them running around out of control and doing whatever the f*ck they want while their parents sit and DO NOTHING.

going to play barbie for a day isn't going to make your three year old a wh*re! i used to play dress up all the time and i consider myself to be pretty well adjusted.

I know we all must have put on mom's makeup (or tried to), played dress up, had our hair done up, and of course, obsess about playing with dolls when we were little. while I doubt I would take a child to this place, it would probably be because I couldn't afford it! a special event, yes, an everyday thing no. then I might end up with a mini paris hilton.

This sounds similar to a place we have in the states called Club Libby Lu.

www.clublibbylu.com

My six year old daughter came out looking like she was ready for a Saturday night on the street corner and she thought it was FANTAbulous!

REE-DICK-U-LUS. My 12 year old daughter asked me recently if she could wear eyeliner to which I responded NO. Little girls and/our children are exposed to too much,too soon in this day and age. I am the MAMA, I make the friggin' rules! I say you are a little girl and it's not time for you to cross that line yet. It's bad enough that physically she is built like a 16/17 year old girl. Take the lead parents! Libby Lu caters to one type of little girl and quite frankly, I have not seen any "brown" babies walk up outta that joint! This Barbie joint is not a good idea. Send your babies to SCORE!!!! It's an educational center. www.escore.com
Much better investment for the long haul!!!!!!!!!

This is not something I would be taking my daughter to (ok, she's still in utero but still!!)

I think that as a society the sexualization of young girls is becoming all too common and somehow acceptable (from thong underwear for 6 year olds --- yes, I have seen this w/ my own two eyes! and "ick" doesn't even describe it.

When I was little, I played w/ my mom's makeup w/ my sisters, but it was PLAY and we would never have been allowed to "go out for the day" all tarted up at the age of 5. There is a huge difference between silly pretend play w/ a lipstick and a child going to a 'salon' to be done up w/ hair and makeup everyday.

PS I do have a huge problem w/ the whole BRATZ culture as well... I think it's all part of the same larger issue

I think it is a cute idea, but taken way to far. I remember when my friend's birthday parties went from the roller rink to a kids salon. I HATED the salon parties.

I played with my mom's make-up & whatnot, but I would rather have been climbing trees. I hope my hypothetical daughters are like that

ditto cbgmick! The hyper-sexual nature of our society makes me INSANE!!

I'm in the minority when I say this, but I think it's okay. For a special occasion, like a birthday party or something, I think it's harmless.

I do think it's absurd that there are some little girls who come in everyday to get made up. THAT is a problem.

Not a little girl wanting to go there on her birthday and just have fun dressing up and putting on makeup. I used to love to do that as a kid and I don't think that's a bad thing.

mmm it´s not that far away from me.. I live in Buenos Aires. Something about the Barbie Store hits me the wrong way. If i had kids i´d probably wouldn´t want them to go there. I did play with Barbie as a young girl, but I was at least 7 when I got my first one.
On a special occasion, like Emalove says, it`s a nice treat. But ona daily basis, good lord, no.

Yea its so cool!!! I don't know any little girl who does not like dressing up!!!!!

I think make up for girls is fine as long as they think of it as "PLAY TIME", not a necessity. In fact, I think women should also think of it the same way. Fun, not an obligation.

Also, I think that make up like lipgloss and light blush is fun. But heavy eyeliner and dark lipstick are frightening on little girls.

I don't think stores like this are our problem. Rather, I think it is how our society talks on a regular basis. Females need to feel good about their accomplishments and character, not just what they look like. Listen to people...when they talk about little girls it is always about how they LOOK ("Krissy has a little girl, she is so cute"). When people talk about little boys it is phrased as what they DO (Krissy has a little boy, he is just learning to walk".)

And Erratic, as many good points as you have, I think that a parent alone does not have total control over their child's mind. No matter how hard a parent stresses that it is the inside that counts, if they don't see that reflected in society they won't believe it. Most children don't live in bubbles.

i think this is ok for a birthday party or something special, but almost everyday? Its too much. And also, a coffee shop? :S

Some little girls just seem to be born girly and loving makeup and dresses. I think as long as they realize it's one of many ways to be, and not THE ONLY way to be, then it's fine to encourage their choice to be frilly. Encouraging it when they aren't that way, or discouraging it when they are equally as bad. I think there's a happy-medium to keep the girls their selves, but instill a healthy idea of beauty. Unfortunately, most moms don't take the time to do this.

I think it's amazing & sounds like tons of fun!

I think it's amazing & sounds like tons of fun!

I think parents have SOME sort of control over a CHILD'S mind...come preteens and teen years, that's different. You begin to compromise with your child's developing behavior. You're suppose to steer them into becoming respectable, young adult.

Bubble or no bubble, whether the inside really counts or not, a child sees the world through the window a parent has framed. Society will ALWAYS be there...you chose to surround yourself with crap like that or you take the high road and actually teach your kid about reality.

and the reality is that all this boutiquey crap is silly dress-up time. This is totally harmless unless you're the type of person who can't say "no" or "enough" to a 5 year old (weenies!) STOP BLAMING BARBIE! lol

oh, and on the coffee note, A LOT of countries in Central and South America LIVE off coffee...it's a norm. We did it in Mexico all the time. You have it with breakfast. NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM STARBUCKS, RIGHT? It's culture.

i would have LOVED this when i was little.

i always thought the point of barbie wasn't for what she looked like (hey, even when i was little i knew that women didn't look like that), but for all the things she could be. back when i was little, barbie wasn't just a skinny girl in pretty clothes: she was a doctor, a teacher, an equestrian, a veternarian, an ice skater, a ballerina, a big sister, an olympian, a beach bunny. she was however you wanted to imagine her.

it's sad when the imaginative part of her is lost. i loved and still love barbie for those reasons, and i hope to get that back for little girls today.

so, i don't mind the barbie playstore, as long as it lets girls choose from all of the options that are available to the imagination, and not just being a skinny girl in pretty clothes. i'm sure they have a blast in there!

and by skinny girl, i mean breaking the laws of nature barbie skinny.

I have an 8 year old daughter, so this hits close to home as she likes Barbie and Bratz dolls. Yes, my daughter loves makeup...really what little girl doesn't, but playing with these dolls doesn't make her want to wear makeup every day or dress like a hussy. I always tell my daughter that she is naturally beautiful. Now I believe that if a little girl is obsessed with wearing makeup every day and dressing like a little tartlet, I would have to say that the mother is to blame and is living through their child by buying these clothes and their makeup. You can blame the dolls, tv, and I do agree that there is too much sexuality pushed on our little girls, we as parents though have to know not buy the outfits and have control over the makeup. This Barbie store, is right and wrong...it would be a personal preference on whether you take your daughter there or not.

I have to agree that for a birthday or special occasion this would be fine but as far as an everyday affair it is very crazy and disturbing...

I think in moderation this would be okay.

I'm not loving the rants directed at no one in particular. Not all of us grew up well-adjusted, confident, and self-assured. We didn't all have mothers who said all the right things, nor did we have total control of the things we were exposed to how we perceived them. Everyone is different. Congratulations if you had a perfect childhood, and have never suffered from low self-esteem.

Does anyone notice that the Popsugar charicatures look like Barbies? they have extremely long legs, tiny waists, voluptuous breasts, perfect faces with large doe eyes, huge styled hair.
Unrealistic images of beauty are everywhere. they are unavoidable. Even on a site like this, where self-esteem and health talk abounds. You just have to do what's best for you, and your daughters.

I disagree with erratic-assassin and marcella ... It is a given that if we all spend time with our children and are proper roll models in the home ... the children will turn out just fine, but this idea (Barbie Salon) is not even cute to me. PLEASE, LESS focus on face value, "pretty things" and beauty for these little ones and more focus on the IMPORTANT things of value in this world which can be just as entertaining and fun. I will have no problem with my daughter asking me to help her paint her toes when she is older (she is only 15 months now), but I would have a problem with her telling me she wants to go to "The Barbie Salon" and have someone "make her pretty" or "do her face" between the age of 3-9. She has her late teen years to fall in love with lipgloss and eyeshadow and the occasional trips with mom to the makeup counter.

I saw a commercial for the "new" Disney Princess cash register that they are promoting for this Christmas (there is also a Dora the Explorer one too). A tiara costing $60.00 in fake money and the register actually asks the child "cash or debit?" ... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? Shallow/Superficial capitalizm at its worst ... targeted to our children and affecting the pockets of the parents ... who have much more important and educational ideas for the money that they do have for their kids (I KNOW I DO! EH HEM ... COLLEGE FUND AND VISITS TO BARNES AND NOBLE FOR READING BOOKS AND ACTIVITY BOOKS WE CAN DO TOGETHER). So sorry to rain on "this is cute" and "i don't see anything wrong with this" parade but I am entitled to my opinion.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

The concept of this Barbie Store should be for grown azz women. Complete with cocktails and scantily clad men painting toes and doing makeup!
If any of us have bought into this "Libby Lu" or "Barbie" store bull-crap, are you making it clear to your daughters that the face makeup and all the overpriced pampering that comes along with it is JUST FOR THAT ONE DAY or do you have to continue the fight at home because she insists on wearing makeup to school OR outside to play?

Great idea fpr a little kids birthday, i'm all for it- but everyday, no- who would be stupid enough, who would have the time, patience, idiocy and money to do this for their kids, I wouldn't do it for MYSELF Jeeze, chill.
As for the Bratz/ Barbie issue- little kids dont look at their figures, they look at their hair and clothes! Not the perfect role models but you can't wrap your kids up in cotton wool.
Makeup on little kids is a step in the wrong direction- almost as sickly as sending your kids to beauty pageants- blech!!
I used to dress up in my mam's clothes and wear her ruby lipstick and put on so much powder I (a causcasion blonde) looked like a red Indian with my sister!
Of course that would be a half an hour affair before we rolled in mudd or something

I think it's a little much, but really, this store shouldn't be taking the heat for girls growing up to fast. And I don't think having a butterfly painted on your cheek is trying to BE Barbie. It's just playing dress-up.

Little girls already like to play dress-up, wear make-up, and be "grown-up." When my four-year-old cousin comes over, the first thing she wants to do is try on all my shoes and have me paint her nails. When I was a kid I loved digging in my grandma's makeup and making myself up. But I knew that I was just playing and had to wash it off after.

The Barbie store is just cashing in on something that already exists. If it's just for fun on a special occasion, I don't see what the big deal is. Kids just need to be monitored to make sure that they realize what is fun and what is real.

I hate all of this stuff. Have ever sat down and watch Nickelodeon or any of those channels, they are horrible. I have a seven year old going on 8 in two months. She has literally been turned into a complete snob in front of our eyes from this crap. Barbie, Brats, Hannah Montana, Raven , ALL TERRIBLE. She was NOT brought up that way and we do NOT spoil her. Her father and I are in total shock sometimes at the things she can say and do. Then the TV comes on and we go OH, that's the problem. She is no longer allowed to watch anything except things acceptable for her 1 year old sister, the discovery channel or innocent cartoons.

My daughter actually resembles a barbie at times. She has waist length curly blond hair, long legs and is gorgeous. BUT she's 8. I try to keep her on the realistic side of things and explain to her those girls and their attitudes are fake, TV made. Being like that gets you no where in life. Be kind and love yourself no matter what. Make-up on a young girl? What the hell is wrong with people. If it's just for play, dress-up on OCCASSION...Every day???? I swear parents get more and more dumb every day. Totally uncalled for.

AND $650 for a child's b-day party I HATE parents that think that having their kid come out on the top of the "Cool" list by spending money is going to send them the right message. I could sit and go on and on about how this type of crap is what is causing our society to go down the toilet.

nyarce -- I understand and respect your opinions. I wanted to clarify that I wasn't exactly endorsing this as the best place in the whole world to take your daughters.

I just think that we need to CHILL out and let kids be kids. If a little girl wants to play with makeup and clothes, we shouldn't freak out and assume they are on the road to becoming Paris Hilton.

Jillness makes an excellent point that it is PLAY time and not everyday time. And, I think we as adults have lost our sense of play when it comes to kids. We take everything so damn seriously like this Barbie store. Instead, people should take stock of their own parenting decisions and not blame "society" or the "media" for their children's shortcomings.

If you raised a bratty, trampy, spoiled kid, then you can blame yourself. Not a Barbie store or Libby Lu. Like msdyanelk said, you're the the one making decisions because you're the MOM!!

no rain on MY parade! it's sunny as hell in OC.

well said marcella. places like these are constantly taken out of context (ie, this place isn't meant to make your daughter into a tranny with pounds of makeup; pale or clear gloss and glitter...big deal!) by adults who think sh*t should be PBS-24/7.

no one said anything about barnes and nobles or not educating young girls. stick to the subject. how is a barbie boutique harmful? answer me THAT. I see NO HARM.

I grew up watching Ren & Stimpy and I'm not pullin my eyes out or farting in public. Shows are shows. If u dont want your kids watching them, turn it of. EASY.

and kris sugar, so sorry to hear you had a sad life. need a tissue? pick urself up baby!

this if REAKIN INSANE. we have to do something! it needs to be closed! what the heck is happening to the world!!!! have u guys seen the dove onslaught?? this is like this. my mom totally cried when she saw that video.

as long as they're happy, why not?

if i were still a little girl, i'd so love to go there

i agree with almostloli, if i was a little girl, i would love to go there. it sounds so more more appealing then the typical birthday party at chuck e. cheese. heck, i would like to go there now, sounds fun ;D.

I think that if this is for a birthday or special occasion it is fine. On a daily basis,NO! Young girls are already dealing with trying to fit the cute girl image at a very young age. I have seen 4yr old girls not eat because some ignorant person told them they were fat. A little girl should be just that a little girl. Everything in life comes at the right time why rush things? Parents should raise their children and not take them to places like these to be able to get them off of their hands for a price$$$$$$$. I wonder what will happen when their girls come home with full makeup and an attitude to go with it when they are only 9? Focus on the important things school, sports, and social skills with children their own age and with activities that are age appropriate.

My niece loves Libby Lu's (sp) and this sounds just like it. It's just a fun place for special occasions. Everything they do, for instance, any makeup, nail polish, hair, etc. can be undone within ten minutes. I loved to dress up and play with my Mom's makeup when I was little. And I would have probably had a few birthday parties there..if such a thing existed back then. But, I still climbed trees and played baseball with the boys and girls in my neighborhood. I also played with Barbie, but I didn't strive to look like her..it was just playing house or whatever with my dolls. (I know my screen name has Barbie in it..but that's just because, people say that about me. I don't get people saying you look like this celeb..I get you look like Barbie.) But Barbie had no influence on how I turned out to look when I grew up, but my genes did. Also, my niece is completely innocent. And my sister would never let her play with a Bratz doll. Like someone above me said..it's the parents who have to make the wise decisions and know your child. If you think it's going to have a bad effect..don't take her. But if you think she just wants to have some innocent fun..I see no harm in that at all. Plus, when my sister takes my niece and her little friends, they don't go anywhere but home afterwards. And they live in a very, very, conservative city.

Now, one crazy thing my sister saw was a certain dance studio. This studio is "the place" to take your little girls to learn tap, jazz, and ballet. Needless to say my niece doesn't take dance classes from that school anymore. My sister signed her up at a very upscale and serious ballet school (they don't teach tap and jazz there.) But my sister was uncomfortable with it so she choose not to let her daughter to take classes at that particular studio.

Also, the Nair thing is completely irresponsible & insane to me. Even though, my Mom did catch me shaving my legs when I was in 3rd grade. I wasn't hairy just very curious. And my Mom just smiled and finished the job on my legs. After that I didn't start shaving till I was probably in 6th or 7th grade.

Oh, and one other big thing is...I think it's extremely important to monitor everything a child watches on TV. Because with the "role models" (I use that term extremely loosely & with sarcasm) today..it's just a bad idea for them to be viewing it at all. It all just comes down to the parents, and what they know is appropriate and right for their child, in my opinion.

Wow! I had no idea my comment was going to be that long.

This is so stupid. Little girls already grow up fast enough, they don't need to be pushed to do it even faster. This may be a fun thing to do once, just to play, but every day is a little obsessive.

I think that it is a cute idea if done appropriately. Three yr olds should not be all done up like Barbie dolls..they are way too young. But if a six yr old wants to get glammed w/ a friend or two for her birthday, let's say, I think that's fun! A child going to the Barbie salon daily is not a good idea.

As far as twelve yr old wearing eye liner regularly, I agree that's too a little too young. And the thongs for six yr olds...who ever thought those up should be shot.

It's true that these days there's a lot more sexuality in our society and it's starting very young but, ultimately it is the job of the parents to know what's right and appropriate for thier children. You can't keep your kids in a cave to save them from the evils of the world. All we can do is teach them good values and hope that they use them.

But a little harmless dress up once in a while, whether it's at home w/ mom's make up or out w/ friends at a pretend salon, is just fun. It's the parents that take it too far that will have the problem.

erratic-assassin = hostility ... i am entitled to my opinion and that is that ... why so hostile and picking on kris sugar ... get a grip and deal with the opinions of others if you want to post on here .. there is a respectable and less hostile way to display your dissensions. .... my reference to Barnes and noble was a personal reference in paratheticals so as not to take away from the main point of my opinion which is clearly laid out in the rest of the text in my comment and YOU CLEARLY DID NOT GET IT, so sorry LOL

I dunno. Many little girls enjoy playing "dress up" and getting into mom's heels and makeup. This isn't much different. The problem in my view isn't enjoying the glamor and glitz of getting dolled up, it is the compulsion that we feel as we get older that we HAVE to do those things -- not out of joy and a genuine love of sparkly stuff like we have as kids, but out of fear that we have to cover up flaws and that we aren't good enough without artificial aids. So long as these kids are indulging out of joy and having fun, I don't see anything wrong with it. The nair thing bugs me a lot more.