Manicures for little misses and masters

If canny marketers have their way, your nine-year-old girl's idea of a perfect afternoon distraction could be heading off to get herself a French manicure and a Turkish body wrap. It took Reshma Krishnan and Sheetal Vora one conversation with a friend in the United States to realise the potential of starting a salon for kids who want to be grown-ups.

But the founders of Junior Cuts, both of whom it must be said are young mothers, say the primary objective was wanting to provide children with an environment that would make it easier for parents to bring them in for a haircut. "You know how kids have this phobia about haircuts, so we allow them to play and watch television and gradually coax them into it."

The manicures, pedicures and streaking are all add-ons. Sure, we all have treated ourselves to mom's lipstick and keeled over more than once in her heels, but highlighting and make-overs? "The boys all want their hair streaked or gelled so it looks spiky and the girls want their hair ironed," says Vora.

Move over McDonald's for Junior Cuts also offers birthday party planning for up to 25 kids. "Have we run out of ways to entertain our children?" asks Geeta Hansraj, a hassled mother of a nine- year-old boy. Others sigh and accept it as yet another demand they might have to give in to. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em...Junior Cuts offers treats for parents too, so they can spend "quality time" with their child over a hair wash.

Shruti Narayan is a 12-year-old who isn't sure that's the best way to spend time with her mother. There's plenty else they can bond over, like watch a movie or travel. But there are others among her peers in school who frequent the salon, she says, to "show off".

Aiding the effort to reign in adult fancies are schools like Shruti's that enforce strict rules on appearances. So what do the girls do to avoid censure? "They hide their hands in their pockets," she replies.

Varkha Chulani, a child therapist at Lilavati hospital cautions against parental leniency in these matters. "There's a very fine line between hygiene and vanity and you don't want to cross that," she says. "The ramifications may not be felt now but it can turn into a constant preoccupation with looks which is certainly a long-term problem." Chulani would know, she has several parents come to her with children as young as four and five who are preoccupied with preening.

The intentions of Vora and Krishnan are heartfelt. They are particular about specifics like the special kids-friendly range of products they use. They also plan to start children's activity clubs to keep them otherwise occupied as well. But there's nothing wrong with a make-over on a day off from school, they insist. "Maybe just for a treat," adds Narayan.