Lordy lord.

You know those situations where you could smack yourself across the face just as soon as your client leaves the salon. Gawd I could have slapped myself silly soon as my client left today.

A lady came in today with her daughter asking to book an appointment. The appointment was not for her, it was for her 9 YEAR OLD daughter to have tip & overlay enhancements. I explained that I dont do enhancements on children that young, I need parental permission for under 16's but wont enhance anyone younger than 13 in any event. Well, sorry to say that this kid pretty much stamped her feet and carried on, and mum said it was for a special occasion, could she have them done just the once, then she looked at my nails (I've got gel overlay on natural nails with white paint on gel for a french look) and asked if daughter could have something like this.

So, normally I would have said sorry no, will be happy to do a little file & polish, add some diamante's etc, but....lord knows why, I said I would do a gel overlay but will not add any length. I've got this girl booked in in 2 weeks.

I already think that when she brings her I'm going to say I've checked the code of practice and I cant do an enhancement treatment on her (it wont be a wasted visit as mums having her hair done while I do her daughters nails), and I cant think for the life in me what caused this temporary but monumental loss of common sense????? I'm dead against enhancing children on so many levels, this just isnt something I would have done on any other day but today (for some bizarre reason!)

So, getting to the point, what would you have done, and what would you do now? I gain further stupid points for not taking mums number and writing it in the appointment book, and I always do this, lord knows what was going on in my brain today, but of course this means I cant ring her to discuss it.

So tell me what you think, and please do be honest.

If it's just for a one off why can't she have a file and french polish with a shiney topcoat?
Does she know you wore gel or would she know that it wasn't a french polish?

I agree honey my daughter is nine and yes has asked many a time !!! i give her a glitter french with a top coat and she loves it ! stick to our guns if your not happy dont do ( oh and we all have strange days ) xxx

just a thought, would the hair stylist have the ladys number ?

You havent mucked up, if you can fix it then you havent!

Dont beat yourself up. As someone said, would the hairdresser have the number? If they havent, well wait for them to come in and just say that for a child that age, 'it is recommended' that she has polish instead of gel overlays??? Say to her that you will make the french mani look exactly like a french gel etc.

The Mum might be annoyed - her choice, polish or storm off!

Dont worry hun, we all make mistakes.
I would give her a french polish with a shiney topcoat, they wont look any different (to her) than a gel overlay AND why would she want her o have gel or acrylic anyway if its just foe an overlay-very unneccessaryin my opinion.
Im sure it will go fine, and if it doesnt it will definetly make you stand you ground next time you gt asked. :-)
hth
xx

defo agree with you she is to young to have enhancements. she is 9 after all and I expect this sepcial occasion is just a one day thing then what happens? she will start picking as soon as they start to grow out and will ruin her nail beds guaranteed as I used to pick at mine when I was 16 there's no way a 9yr old would be able to resist , go with your gut feeling, And we all have odd days it probably didn't help that the 9 yr old stamped her feet and mum didn't try and explain to her the reasons it was a no , instead she stamped her feet by trying to pursuade you to do it, I'd have propbably agreed too

aww hun , i can understand how you feel , you were obviously backed into a corner , couldnt you use some uv top coat (uv dry ) on top of the french mani ?? to give the illusion of gels??
(sorry i know its not entirely honest but better than dealing with someone having a paddy in the salon )

It is difficult and I would have said no. Now youv'e said yes, I would do them and insist she comes back in 2 weeks HTH

We ALL have those cringeworthy days, don't worry. I would stick to your guns and not do enhancements.

From reading the other threads I guess you can do some sort of compromise?

Hi there Michelle,

I certainly wouldn't do the enhancements, we had the same sort of thing a while back in the Salon with ear piercing. With some young one's the Parents have to give consent for that and this particular Child did not have it therefore we wouldn't do it. The mother rang the Salon and wanted to know why we wouldn't do it, when I explained she said she couldn't be bothered to come out to sign the consent form. With that I said I would put some literature in the post and left it at that. Basically I went to Caflon and gathered some info which really said exactly what I was saying plus a lot of other legal jargon also. We never heard back from the mother, obviously we lost a client but so be it. We didn't and wouldn't do anything wrong under those circumstances ever. Unfortunately in this world there is always some clever b'stard looking to trip you up out there. She may have been one of them, she may have not. Either way with this sort of thing it’s a zero tolerance procedure.

Fitz (Steve)

I think this little girl is going to be getting very excited about getting her nails done...and she has 2 whole weeks to be getting really excited and be looking forward to having her nails done....you think she had a tantrum before....imagine the showdown when she gets to the appointment in 2 weeks time only to be told shes not getting her nails done after all!
I would be really careful about disappointing this little girl tbh....her mother prob wont be too happy...(it is quite upsetting to see your child 'let down' i have to say).

Having said that...like most people...I wouldn't put enhancements on a 9 yr old either.

I would however...in light of the fact that u have already agreed to do a gel overlay....and to avoid disappointments...I would just do that...perhaps as already suggested just use a gel top coat? I dont see the harm in that myself.

Perhaps when u see the mother u could quietly explain to her that you are not prepared to do the full 'works' but as its for a special occasion you will do the overlay (which will still look the same) but on the provision that she is brought back in within say 2 weeks to have the gel removed properly for which she will need to pay for at this appointment..you could then say you will put some sparkly polish on for free after removal or something like that?

Dont beat yourself up about what you should or shouldnt have done at the time...it doesnt matter...what matters is what you do now!

Well I definitely would do enhancements on a 9 year old if a parent asked me and I would also book the soak off appointment at the same time and get them to pre pay for the lot of it.

There is no reason on earth why you shouldn't do this with the parent's say so. Are you going to damage her nails??? Do you not believe in what you do and that it will be safe for her?

What reason (other than your OWN thoughts on whether it is suitable or not for children to have enhancements) would you have for not doing them?

It is not up to us to make moral decisions for others unless we would be doing something to cause harm. I personally think it is too young for MY children, but it is not up to me to make or impose that call on someone else.

You didn't do anything wrong at all and I would do it happily.