Should We Tell Little Girls They’re Pretty?

Telling a little girl she's pretty seems like a harmless compliment. But this usually innocent observation can have long-term effects on a girl's relationship to her looks — should we refrain from making it at all? That's the question Lisa Bloom, who previously alleged that talking about celebrities makes us stupid, poses in the Huffington Post. She writes about resisting her impulse to tell a friend's five-year-old daughter, "Maya, you're so cute! Look at you! Turn around and model that pretty ruffled gown, you gorgeous thing!" She stopped herself, she says, because, Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells them that looks are more important than anything. It sets them up for dieting at age 5 and foundation at age 11 and boob jobs at 17 and Botox at 23 - Culled from Jezebel.com