When I first stared seeing girls walking around with great big bows on their head, I have to admit I turned into my Mum in the 1980s when she absolutely refused to buy me a pair of kitten heels. EVERYONE else had them but I wasn’t allowed and I was furious. She said they were too old for me and that they looks totally silly… I, on the other hand, loved them and hankered after a pair of proper high heels with a metal clippety clop on the bottom for years…

Fast forward to my own daughter being around the same age that I was then and the craze may be different but the desire was exactly the same and… so it seems, my reaction was akin to my Mother’s with the kitten heels when it came to these JoJo Bow Bows. I gave Florence a firm no. It was the same no I delivered when she asked if she could have her ears pierced (another thing I remember thinking was bordering on child abuse when I was given a negative at age 7 myself) and another thing which made me realise we do all eventually just turn into our parents.

But… It seems our parents mellow as time goes on because when Florence was having a hard time with some girls at school and my Mum took her into the city for some retail therapy, home she came with a JoJo Bow Bow and my Mum and I had to have some words!

‘You know she’s not allowed one Mum’ I said…

‘Well really Ruth’ my mum replied ‘What difference does it make? She loves them, she’s such a good girl and she’s having such a rotten time with these girls at school I thought she deserved one as a treat!’

Urm… Kitten and heels sprang to mind but my Mum was off on one… I wasn’t going to win!

It seems my Mum had over ridden my decision and another of her reasonings for this was that JoJo Siwa, US YouTube sensation and now, presumably and thanks to her gigantic bows, a gazillionaire, is totally anti bullying.

‘She promotes a really positive message Ruth’ My Mum informed me ‘She’s anti bullying and a really nice girl, come on, Florence deserves a bow and anyway, I think they look nice’!

WHO IS SHE?! I swear that woman has changed into a completely different person to the one who brought me up. But you know what… She’s ALWAYS right and Florence DID deserve a pick me up from someone who promotes positivity and being kind. So… I went with it and the first time we went out a teenager complimented Florence on her gigantic head bow and she beamed! For hours. It was worth every single bob of the bow on her head!

Since then, when I have recounted the story, I have been told repeatedly of the positive message that JoJo Siwa promotes and I have had to concede that perhaps this tween YouTube sensation isn’t so bad after all. If she’s all about being a kind person then why not eh? There are enough horrible people in the world who deserve criticism but it really does seem that JoJo is harmless and it also seems her Bow Bow (name of her dog as well would you believe) sensation has taken to new levels!

A range of JoJo Siwa toys and merchandise has just been released and Florence, who now has a Mum who says yes to this franchise, has been one of the first to get to sample two items from the range!

So… There’s a song to go with the JoJo Siwa entertainment package (of course there’s a song) and though I wasn’t familiar with ‘Boomerang’ (I tend to zone out once I know what they’re watching on YouTube is appropriate – seriously, once you’ve heard the dulcet tones of that mother off the Inghams you’ll understand why) but Florence KNEW it! Totally KNEW it!

The microphone plays the song and boosts your voice as you sing a-long with it while it lights up and flashes – all very glam. There is also a hidden cable which you can plug into your MP3 player and the music will then play through that as you sing a-long. What’s not to lke if you’re 7, a JoJo Siwa fan and LOVE to sing!

The microphone isn’t the only bit of JoJo merch Florence has been playing with and the JoJo Siwa Singing Doll might just trump it out of the pair of them truth be told. Not only does the doll have very brushable hair, a GIANT bow for it (which can also be worn in your own hair) and a rather groovy costume but she sings ‘Boomerang’ too – hurrah! You can never have too much ‘Boomerang’ if you’re 7 and you like JoJo Siwa!

The singing dolly also says a few other things when you press her talking button and Florence thinks she’s great. For me, the best thing she says is the best thing about JoJo Siwa, it’s the message to promote just being a good, kind person…

#BestiesNotBullies!

The whole JoJo Siwa range which also includes a bow maker is on sale now. The JoJo Siwa Microphone is available at The Entertainer £15 and the Jo Jo Siwa Singing Doll can be purchased from Smyths Toys for £24.99.

Our JoJo products were gifted.