The Short of It
Apparently, pre-K proms are now a thing. And they include tuxes, gowns, corsages and crowns—it's just that everything is pint-sized.
The Lowdown
A growing number of schools across the country are throwing pre-K proms for preschoolers—complete with DJs, photographers, and the requisite pics posted on social media.
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Some parents think the trend is great. "It's adorable," mom Lisbeth Morales told CBS News. "Girls dancing with girls; boys running around."
In fact, if you look up #prekprom on Instagram, you'll see several parents who didn't attend their own proms having a mini do-over with their pre-K kids.
But others find pre-K proms a little inappropriate. Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a psychologist who specializes in working with children, says all the primping and prepping for prom can actually blur the line between being a child and being a teen.
"Some of the pictures that I saw were low-cut gowns—you know, getting their hair done, putting make-up on," Dr. Hafeez told CBS News. "One of the biggest consequences is that you are missing out on the innocence of childhood; of just playing around and not having to think about what people think of you, about what your hair looks like, or if this dress makes you look fat."
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The Upshot
I love a good kids party, but I definitely would not have been excited about the whole prom thing back when my kids were in pre-K. And while I admit that the boys look pretty dapper, I'm getting a real "Toddlers and Tiaras" vibe from the girls all gussied up in their crowns and gowns. Plus, some of these proms even elect kings and queens' something that Dr. Hafeez says can create a lot of pressure at a very young age.
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"You're basically identifying one or two children, saying they're better than you now," she explained. "Older, 17, 18, it's still tough at that age. Can you imagine at age 5 you are looking at the other kids going, 'Why is he better than me?'"
No, I can't. Let's just let kids be kids, OK?
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