by Lucy-Jade Norris
Nothing beats a spa day.  Facials, massages, hair-dos and a good old gossip with the girls.  Now imagine these luxuries as a 9 year old…a spa day for little ladies!

The spa industry has begun to target children in a big way, going well beyond mother-and-daughter manicures.  Adult spas are adding separate menus of service for girls ages 4-14 that are dedicated spa days for children offering a range of facials, massages, and other treatments.

One of these spas is situated at The Four Seasons in Beverly Hills and offers “The Superhero”: a green-based aromatherapy spray that will help powerful superhero muscles morph back to relaxation during a neck, shoulder and hand massage – I like the sound of that!

So-called “Princess Days” are becoming the norm for some families, but is this really helping a young girl’s self-esteem?  After all, a spa day is a form of relaxation after a week full of office stress, or an opportunity to indulge on a bachelorette party.

Do young girls really need to have access to a wondrous amount of beauty services that encourage them to change and enhance their appearances?  Or is it beneficial in the sense that these spa days are helping them to take pride in how they look and care for themselves?

Truth is, children are growing up faster than ever and are ultimately exposed to so many images of what beauty is or what they should perceive it to be.  If a parent can afford to spoil their little ones with spa days and princess services I honestly think: What the hell!

These services are encouraging our little girls to understand how important it is to take / spoil yourself / relax and be pampered, values that many of us women lose when trying to balance work, life and careers. And then when we do find the time, we feel guilty about having some me time.  If these young girls leave the spa feeling pretty and special then I believe it’s money well spent.

It’s how we encourage and support them in retaining a sense of pride in the real world, a world  that will repeatedly hack at their self-esteem from all directions.