Observations from the Mall today

[asta]

I just got back from shopping with my daughters. I couldn't believe the young pre-teen girls who were shopping. There were two young girls in Victoria's Secret that didn't even look like they were developed enough to wear a training bra. Later, in American Eagle another couple of young girls were complaining loudly that the store never carried enough of size 00. I wanted to shout that you need to be shopping in a children's store instead of stores geared toward teens or young adults. I'm amazed at how some people want to rush their childhood away.

 

[jeriber]

I am always amazed at the number of young kids at the mall by themselves or with their young friends. Where are the parents?

 

[AKL_Megs]

I hate these girls, usually no older than 14, who walk around with Coach bags, in their designer clothes, carrying their Razr phones...

 

[nsyncraider17]

I noticed a lot of girls like that when I went shopping last week, too. I was with my roommate, and there were TINY teenage girls in every store we were in. They were all dressed more stylishly than we were and carrying big purses and cell phones, so I was honestly confused about whether they were really 12 years old or so, or if they were just all extremely small for their ages!

I know when I was 12 and 13 it was when I started going to the mall with friends instead of my mom and we were all transitioning out of Limited Too and into American Eagle and such, but I guess it just shocked me that the girls I see now look so old.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I noticed a lot of girls like that when I went shopping last week, too. I was with my roommate, and there were TINY teenage girls in every store we were in. They were all dressed more stylishly than we were and carrying big purses and cell phones, so I was honestly confused about whether they were really 12 years old or so, or if they were just all extremely small for their ages!

I know when I was 12 and 13 it was when I started going to the mall with friends instead of my mom and we were all transitioning out of Limited Too and into American Eagle and such, but I guess it just shocked me that the girls I see now look so old.

Yeah, I started going on mall trips with friends at around 12, also. My mom left me with about $20 to have fun with... I wish I could have been left with enough to purchase from both Victoria's Secret AND Hollister like these girls do! Must be nice!

 

[ZPT1022]

Crazy. I vow to do my part that when they are old enough my daughters are NOT those girls. I mean, if they're thin, great for them but with these genes I wouldn't count on it I will not have my kids carrying designer bags and name brand everything while I am not. Not that everything has to be from Target all the time but come on what is wrong with Old Navy? When I was in h.s. The Gap was the big thing, and I still don't think it's as expensive as Abercrombie et al. At the very least if my kids have these things they will APPRECIATE them, not be snots about it

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I am always amazed at the number of young kids at the mall by themselves or with their young friends. Where are the parents?

If it's anything like our mall, their parents are hard at work trying to pay for their kids' spending habits. I know at our local mall, during school breaks/summer vacation, it's not uncommon for a van to pull up, dump out a load of kids and drive away. Now..maybe the parents are just going to park, but I know sometimes that's not the case. They are leaving the kids there to fend for themselves while they go off to work instead of sending them to camp/hiring a babysitter/whatever.

You're probably going, "Well how do YOU know?". I used to work at the mall and I would ask these kids (some of who where there every day M-F) where there parents were. Esp if they looked younger than 15 or 16.

TOV

 

[rie'smom]

Did y'all wear Gap,Swatches,etc? It's no different than kids wanting to wear what's popular today. When my older son(31) was younger,I remember my nieces wearing Espirit because it was the "thing" to have. When I was in junior high in the '70's,jeans were a big thing to wear to school and they were $8.00. Some parents had their "knickers in a knot" because my mom bought the jeans for me. It's all relative.
As for the kids shopping at the mall,the parents might do what I do. I allow my daughter to bring a friend shopping with us. They go off and do their shopping while I do mine and then we meet an hour or so later.
Does Victoria's Secret have an age limit?These kids might want to seem more mature so they go into the store. I really don't see the harm.
My daughter wears Abercrombie,AE,Aeropostle,etc. but just because she does,it doesn't make her snotty. She's a nice kid and I enjoy indulging her. She'll have to face the real world soon enough.

 

[MELSMICE]

Did y'all wear Gap,Swatches,etc? It's no different than kids wanting to wear what's popular today. When my older son(31) was younger,I remember my nieces wearing Espirit because it was the "thing" to have. When I was in junior high in the '70's,jeans were a big thing to wear to school and they were $8.00. Some parents had their "knickers in a knot" because my mom bought the jeans for me. It's all relative.
As for the kids shopping at the mall,the parents might do what I do. I allow my daughter to bring a friend shopping with us. They go off and do their shopping while I do mine and then we meet an hour or so later.
Does Victoria's Secret have an age limit?These kids might want to seem more mature so they go into the store. I really don't see the harm.
My daughter wears Abercrombie,AE,Aeropostle,etc. but just because she does,it doesn't make her snotty. She's a nice kid and I enjoy indulging her. She'll have to face the real world soon enough.

I have to agree with you. My DD's just went shopping the other day. They are 17, 14 & 14. The 17 year old drove them there. I was not with them. The 3 of them shopped together.

They each had their designer purses, which I got them for Christmas on deep, deep discounts. They were all wearing Abercrombie or AE, which was also bought only on the discount racks/tables. (we don't pay full price for anything - well DH does - but that's a guy thing )

I don't consider my DD's snots because they have these items. Just because they were bought doesn't mean they were extremely expensive.

I also don't have a problem with them shopping at the mall by themselves, although there are limits as to when they can go & who they can go with. They can not go on the weekend during the evening & 2 younger DD's can only go with older DD or a parent.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Did y'all wear Gap,Swatches,etc? It's no different than kids wanting to wear what's popular today. When my older son(31) was younger,I remember my nieces wearing Espirit because it was the "thing" to have. When I was in junior high in the '70's,jeans were a big thing to wear to school and they were $8.00. Some parents had their "knickers in a knot" because my mom bought the jeans for me. It's all relative.
As for the kids shopping at the mall,the parents might do what I do. I allow my daughter to bring a friend shopping with us. They go off and do their shopping while I do mine and then we meet an hour or so later.
Does Victoria's Secret have an age limit?These kids might want to seem more mature so they go into the store. I really don't see the harm.
My daughter wears Abercrombie,AE,Aeropostle,etc. but just because she does,it doesn't make her snotty. She's a nice kid and I enjoy indulging her. She'll have to face the real world soon enough.

Your daughter is probably very level headed and I am just using what you are saying as an example, but, not all teenagers are going to be able to go from having all the name brands that their parents can afford to not being able to afford them themselves. I am in no way saying this is your daughter.

My niece and nephew were so indulged by their Mother when they were teenagers that they just cant understand why they cant still have/wear those kind of clothes anymore.

 

[RrCoAsTeR]

A lot of times it's not like that, like the last two posters said. Sales, hand-me-downs, own money...

A lot of parents are at the mall, with times at which they will meet.

VS= Pink collection, PJs, sweatpants...

 

[monarchsfan16]

I work in a mall, in a department store on school breaks. I'm amazed at what I see and I'm only 20. There was one night when I was working that a group of girls walked by. THey couldn't have been more than 9. It was just the 3 of them, no older siblings or parents or anything. They were talking about how much they love American Eagle. At 8 years old. I'm 20 and don't wear AE.

I can't even believe I'm using this phrase, but, when I was their age, I was still going to the mall with my mom. She was picking out a lot of my clothes, and had to approve anything that I picked out. I did start shopping with just my friends around age 12 or 13, but I seem to remember we mostly shopped in department stores. DIdn't start shopping Aeropostale and Weathervane until 13 or 14, and I don't think any of us ever looked in American Eagle until high school

 

[LisaNJ25]

I hate these girls, usually no older than 14, who walk around with Coach bags, in their designer clothes, carrying their Razr phones...

Well, my 14yo son has a new Razr.. which was free and better than my cell phone lol... but he doesnt carry a coach bag.

 

[Liberty Belle]

My son (13.5) hangs out at the mall with his friends. We drop him off and they usually are there for a while (looking in shops, eating at the food court, etc) and then go to a movie, after which we pick him up. He has a cell phone on him at all times and we call periodically. They're good kids. A couple of his girl friends are tiny and look younger than the 13 and 14 year olds that they are.

 

[MELSMICE]

A lot of times it's not like that, like the last two posters said. Sales, hand-me-downs, own money...

Actually, a lot of what my DD's have in the way of clothes is paid for with their own money. They get a weekly allowance. Half of what they earn goes in the bank & with the other half they budget for clothes, entertainment, Christmas money.

Come school time, they get a budget from me. They can spend it as they please but they know that once it's gone, it's gone.

Well, my 14yo son has a new Razr.. which was free and better than my cell phone lol... but he doesnt carry a coach bag.

 

[Hixski]

I know some of the malls in St. Louis have talked about having no one under the age of 18 without an adult present. This does not mean dropping them off while you shop around yourself. They mean physically being there with them. There were some incidents at a couple of malls of fighting and gangs of kids terrorizing people. I don't know if they have implemented this yet but it sounds like they were serious.

 

[suzannef]

One of our malls already does this on weekends after 4pm.

 

[ZPT1022]

I don't consider my DD's snots because they have these items. Just because they were bought doesn't mean they were extremely expensive.

Since I kind of feel like this was aimed at my comment about not allowing my kids to become snots, I'll respond and clarify. I never said my kids won't be allowed to have these things, but if they get to be those kids who are like "Well, I'm not wearing something from Target or Old Navy, I will ONLY wear Abercrombie" I will NOT put up with that. It's great to have nice things but they will only have nice things on my dime if they appreciate them. If they ever feel like it is just owed to them to have designer everything then they will have a very rude awakening coming. I totally agree about the sales racks because that is how I shop already. While I don't mind indulging my kids with nice things, it best not be taken for granted and I hope that they don't become the kids who think they're 'too good' for something more moderate- Old Navy, etc..... Does that make more sense?

 

[ZPT1022]

I know some of the malls in St. Louis have talked about having no one under the age of 18 without an adult present. This does not mean dropping them off while you shop around yourself. They mean physically being there with them. There were some incidents at a couple of malls of fighting and gangs of kids terrorizing people. I don't know if they have implemented this yet but it sounds like they were serious.

Wow, seems sort of extreme. I know I'm especially sensitive to stuff like that based on age because at 17 I was a college freshman, so by their definition I'd have needed my mommy to come shop with me. A bit bizarre. On the other side of that plenty of kids turn 18 in high school so if they are looking to keep unattended high schoolers to a minimum they may not fully meet that goal.

 

[MELSMICE]

Since I kind of feel like this was aimed at my comment about not allowing my kids to become snots, I'll respond and clarify. I never said my kids won't be allowed to have these things, but if they get to be those kids who are like "Well, I'm not wearing something from Target or Old Navy, I will ONLY wear Abercrombie" I will NOT put up with that. It's great to have nice things but they will only have nice things on my dime if they appreciate them. If they ever feel like it is just owed to them to have designer everything then they will have a very rude awakening coming. I totally agree about the sales racks because that is how I shop already. While I don't mind indulging my kids with nice things, it best not be taken for granted and I hope that they don't become the kids who think they're 'too good' for something more moderate- Old Navy, etc..... Does that make more sense?

No, I wasn't specifically aiming my response at you. I apologize if you thought that.

I hear what you're saying about some kids. I know some (a few in particular who I can think of) that are like you have described. It is not a good quality to have.

If my kids didn't appreciate what they had or didn't have to work for it they wouldn't have it. I tell my kids all the time that hard work will get them what they really desire in life & nothing will get handed to them.