First fight about make up aged nine

This might not be what you think....
The journalling under the main photo is as follows;

In the beginning my daughter didn't even want to be in the ice show.  I wanted her to be in it because I believed it would increase her self confidence. DD was never that comfortable being up in front of an audience when she was younger. Reading news at school filled her with horror, so I thought positive exposure therapy was in order. I therefore asked her what it would take to get her to perform happily and explained that ice skating lessons til the Christmas Show would be pointless unless she was in the show as most of the time would be spent practicing for it. She settled easier than I had anticipated for one strawberry liquorice shoelace; the contract was drawn up and she made the commitment.

After endless practice sessions the show day was fast approaching and we were told all performers should arrive with their hair in a ponytail and their makeup ready done. “Eeeek,” said DD, “not makeup no way and definitely not a ponytail either”. At this point it was too late to back out as she was one of only four girls in her team. She agreed she couldn’t let the team down and would allow “Just the cheek reddener” to be applied. We haggled over lipstick and mascara;

Mum “You’re a performer dahling; you simply must”

DD “No way”

Mum “but your features will disappear under the stage lighting, its part of being on the stage”

DD “No way”

And so it went on ad infinitum until the day before the show.

Cue Daddy, on Skype from England

“You have to DD, please stop misbehaving”

DD picked up a $5 note sitting by the monitor and started waving it around

Daddy “Put that money down it’s not yours its Mum’s. [Ahha - Resorting to bribery] BUT if you let Mummy put your makeup on and wear a pony tail and don’t make a fuss then you can have it when you get back from the show.” DD knows a good thing when she hears it and the deal was done.

One hour before the show I got out my makeup bag and thought “It’s costing me $5 so I’m getting my money’s worth” I started with foundation, added blusher, mascara and lipstick. A slightly brighter one than previously agreed, that I thought would suit her colouring, more coral than pink. She looked in the mirror and apologising said she couldn’t hold it in but was going to cry because the lipstick was so bright it made her look horrid!  After scrubbing the lipstick off (I nearly needed a Brillo pad), I should never have gone for the brighter colour, it was pushing my luck, I replaced it with a less bold lipstick and wrestled her hair into a pony tail.

She was the most subtly made up girl at the ice rink, there were girls with more makeup than Katie Price, girls with fake eyelashes, spray tans and seemingly whole cans of glitter sprayed over their arms, legs, faces and hair! I couldn’t help but be quietly pleased my daughter is different and our first fight about makeup was this. I wonder how things will be in another 5 or so years time?

After the dance which she got spot on I was so proud of her; she had overcome her nerves and performed in front of a huge audience, only one week later she was overcoming her nerves again playing the piano at the nursing home recital in front of a smaller audience of elderly residents bringing a little joy to their hearts.  I can see her blossoming and growing all the time and her confidence in herself increasing.

* GO GIRL GO *