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Louise Thomas
Editor
A mother has sparked a debate after allowing her seven-year-old daughter wear heels.
Liana DeGeorge recently took to Instagram Reels to reveal that her daughter was “begging” her to buy her first pair of heels.
“I told her, let’s just wait a few more years. She wouldn’t let me take them off. And those tears broke my heart, but I just wasn’t ready for my baby girl to grow up. Even her brother was trying to convince me to let her get them,” text across the screen read as the mother showed off her daughter wearing the shoes in the store.
“So I cracked & let me tell you she SHINED in those heels,” the clip continued, showing instances of her daughter proudly walking down the street in her shoes.
“We decided they are special occasion shoes… I kind of wish they had Chanel’s in her size to make the mad people like really reallyyyyyy mad,” she wrote in the post’s caption.
Many people ended up taking to the comments section to explain that they thought buying the shoes was a questionable idea for various reasons.
“Seven years is way too young for multiple health issues: their back is not fully developed and still doesn’t have the strength for heels which can cause some back pain or scoliosis,” one comment began.
Another commenter agreed, writing: “Why stop there, next time give a glass of wine and a smoke.”
“Seven year olds don’t need heels, I don’t care that she begged for them. Tell her to suck it up, she’s a kid and you’re her parent. Act like it,” a third commenter claimed.
However, other commenters thought buying the shoes was a sweet gesture, while many defended the mom by pointing out that the heel of the shoes wasn’t too high.
“Y’all are so dramatic, I had three pairs of heels when I was only five. Barbie ones, leopard sandal heels to match my leopard dress and a black one... I’m 27 and still no posture issues… the minute they hurt, she will take them off anyways... let people be happy without constant judgment,” one commenter wrote.
Another commenter agreed, writing: “Guys don’t you remember wanting something mom said no?? Look how happy she looks. She literally said it was for special occasions. Also at the end of the day it’s her parenting choice.”
“Aaaaaactually a little heel like that is better for her posture and her feet. It’s not a five-inch heel, relax,” a third commenter wrote.
“Even sneakers have a little heel on the back. Anyway, I think she looks great and happy, and self image and self confidence is also good for her. Not sure why you’d ban it for her in the first place, if you don’t have a good reason you can explain to your kids so that they understand why ‘no’ to something, then it’s oy bc you say so…”
However DeGeorge later revealed in an interview with Today that the shoes only ended up being an impulse buy and were never planned.
“It’s not like I went into the adult section and found a tiny size (for my daughter),” she told the outlet. “People made it into something that it wasn’t.”
The mother added that she was even hesitant to let her daughter try on the shoes at all, but she was determined to prove that she could successfully walk in them.
“I said, ‘Honey, heels could hurt your feet if you walk in them too long or be uncomfortable’ but she wanted to show me how well she could walk, and even jump, wearing them,” DeGeorge said.
