The Preteen Phase Is Gone.

[@not-an-ipad-kid]

I totally agree, but as a 13 year old boy, I think you should make a follow up from the boys pov. This video was angled at the girls side in my opinion, and I think us boys have the same problem. We lose our innocence so quickly due to social media, and if you don’t follow along you’re weird and unpopular. Some of my friends literally talk about a porn addiction, when they are waiting 12, like bro calm down. It’s horrible, and I would like to see your take. Please make a follow up Brett! 🙏 Edit: Thank you guys for all the likes and comments, I’m glad to see that I’m obviously not alone in this. 🗣️🗣️ I pray that God will watch over you all 🗣️ 🔥

[@ghost247music8]

YES BRO THIS..... THIS. I'm 17 and we need a follow up from boy's perspectives. I had a p*** addiction at 13... just beat the addiction last year. Its a very serious issue. PLUS... us boys are expected to be chads and perfect and such by girls.... echoing off of the girls acting wayyy older as seen in this video. It's just a wave of expectations that we dont deserve and will never match up to. And yeah... social media is the main culprit.

[@imawindis1600]

One thing can’t happen without the other, stay on your grind bro 🔥💪

[@silver9wolf6]

Yes!! I second this

[@yvetteflanders1167]

This thread gives the Grandma of an almost 11 year old hopeful feelings for the future.

[@DDD11239]

She can't give advice to men.

[@williamsonfamilyadventure]

I read something that has stuck with me all week. One day my daughter will ask me "why are you putting on makeup?" My answer will be, "to look Fancy" Not "to look pretty" I want her to always know she doesn't need any product to be beautiful. Her beauty (and mine) comes from her heart and kindness. and some days we can be a little Fancy

[@bethannalou]

I like that, thank you for sharing.

[@tania-pd1uy]

Love that

[@davydigger708]

I'm a guy and sometimes I actually think girls look prettier when they DON'T try to over-use makeup or other products! - or try to wear attention-grabbing clothes. To be honest, how you look is not the most important thing in life - who you are on the inside and how you use your life to benefit others is...

[@kristinazubic9669]

Yep! Fancy, dressy, formal, professional, whatever the occasion calls for.

[@Gianna-nr7wp]

aww my mom used to say that

[@Allyluvss]

i’m a girl, almost 14 and the most i’ve ever put on my face is my moms makeup, water and moisturizer. i look at other people my age during school and seeing how they act and it almost makes me feel like i should be like them when really i should just be focused on getting good grades and enjoy being a teenager. i wish others could recognize that as well.

[@EtheriaI]

Real

[@RajiRahan]

I just turned 14 and have never worn makeup except the time when I was 10 and stole my sisters foundation lol, I use the basic gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and spf routine derms recommend for young people. I love taking care of my hair but I don't mean i have tons of products, i just make sure i have good habits that good for hair growth and all. I'm just focused on grades and enjoying being a teenager as well 😄

[@kittee6409]

There's a difference between mimicking adult things as a kid for giggles and genuinely trying to be an adult as a kid and get attention from everyone.

[@ZeroDarknezz]

Well that's what kids are doing now, They're not pretending, they want attention from everyone

[@Cupcake_Royale]

I also remember when we used to think that growing up was so cool and adults got to do cool things that we weren't allowed to. Now kids these days won't have that experience since they are pretty much allowed to do what adults do.

[@KasumiRose77]

Yeah, the parents involvement

[@n.o.m4385]

Its mainly the parents fault, Parents should not prioritize being friends of their kids especially in teenage years

[@vanmoody]

The adults who are pushing kids to do this are probably the same ones who are calling for the age of consent to be lowered. Sick people!

[@cominatrix]

I work at elementary schools. The number of very young girls dressed in skimpy and provocative clothing which only their parents could have gotten for them and allowed them to wear who are doing mimics of the dances they see all over is extremely troubling. And gross. Parents are creepily often right behind these issues encouraging them.

[@petesmitt]

A lot of these parents just want their kids to fit in and be accepted by their peers.

[@kdotsonray]

I'm going into elementary teaching and as a conservative mother of 2 girls - I dread witnessing and interacting with the parents of these girls. In Kindergarten, my oldest had another girl instruct a group of girls to twerk on a boy and was smacking their butts while they did it... There's question about Tiktok in class discussions. My daughter didn't know what that was...lol

[@SingleTax]

@@petesmitt It is that very line of thinking that created this mess in the first place.

[@functionatthejunction]

Your parents said the same thing about you and theirs said the same thing about them.

[@shannonmcelroy8454]

Really? I don't mean this as an insult, just a question. Is there a dress code at your school? I remember midriff baring tops were always forbidden at all the schools I went through.

[@dianaRC]

Brett nailed it again. It's also very sad that aging is somehow the enemy. I lost a brother when he was 28 and I was 24. I'm now in my 40s and every year I'm alive I'm grateful and happy. I welcome every wrinkle and every imperfection because I'm human and beautiful as I am.

[@HolyNamed]

Are you Christian

[@HCCatherine961]

👍👍

[@melbymelb23]

My daughter is 11, just finished 5th grade and I can confirm that this is a HUGE problem. All her friends at freaking 10 were wearing makeup and starting skincare routines. Like WTH? My daughter is not on social media at all. Unfortunately her best friend is. Apparently they would FaceTime while her friend was doing her “skincare routine” and all of a sudden my daughter is asking me for drunk elephant products 😮 No, here’s your American Girl doll we bought last year now go PLAY.

[@shannonmcelroy8454]

When I first started using cosmetics at around 10, all I bought was Burt's Bees since they were sheer and nourishing, and my mom didn't object since it was just to care for my lips, and even in high school when I transitioned to more items it was always in nude shades.

[@Stellamarie_7]

Starting a healthy skincare routine can be beneficial for younger kids to help develop good habits. I suggest you get her (if you can afford it) a safe gentle cleanser a moisturizer and a spf. You could find safe ones with cute packaging if she prefers that. I don’t get the drunk elephant trend because the packaging isn’t even cute.

[@sarahm-a2782]

This is the first time I'm hearing about Drunk Elephant.... I don't even know what that is. I have 2 boys, youngest is 11, and a girl age 9. Thankfully my daughter hangs out with other homeschooled kids and her cousins who all are Christian conservatives. I think I'll keep it that way as long as possible.

[@Stellamarie_7]

@@sarahm-a2782 while I agree with you on a lot of things. Trying to shelter your kids won’t be good for them try and let them find their own friends when they are young because as soon as girls are like 12 they can be really nasty and she should be prepared for that. This will also help so that she won’t rebel once she’s older.

[@Inmytaylorera]

I’m 13 years old and have had a skincare routine since I was 11. I actually really recommend it. It’s nice to start good habits early.

[@heatherperry475]

My daughter is 22 yrs old I had her whenever I was 16 and I grew up fast. I raised my daughter with rules she followed I was strict but not to strict. She was never exposed to this garbage online until she was 15. We rode four wheelers, went swimming, cooked out. Her friends came to our home so I knew she would be okay. I'm so proud of her and what she's accomplished. She's my best friend but I'm still her mom first.

[@Cat-ng8eb]

As a 14 year old I have a face wash and acne serum that was proscribed to me. My makeup is blush,mascara, and concealer. I started all of this about a few months ago! I’m glad I had a childhood. I also didn’t get a phone till about one year ago and I don’t use it often I’m very glad my parents raised me like this

[@kimodoms5154]

This goes hand in hand with the breakdown of the family…kids no longer get to be kids and are being pushed into adulthood too fast. My 13 year old still plays with dolls! I love that my children are still kids - 10, 13 and 17!

[@vanillabeanlady]

Totally agree with this. Girls without fathers in their lives hit puberty earlier than girls with fathers. Couple that with parents giving their kids smartphones and letting them make tiktok content, and not having a proper family to raise their kids in, it's no wonder tweens are growing up on social media and missing their childhoods. I do miss the tween places, too. I have great memories of going to the bookstore and picking up an innocent tween romance with handholding, then shopping for colorful kids clothes and accessories and Icing and Limited Too.

[@NunyaNomi]

I played Barbies until I was 12-13. Granted they were being rescued by GI Joe in their car in a river made by the garden hose and being pulled behind the 4 Wheeler to scrape her “breasts” off to make her a Ken.

[@EmeraldsFire]

​@@NunyaNomi😂

[@DavidZ4-gg3dm]

Many conservatives want them married with kids while in their teens!

[@Xaforn]

My son is 15, has no social media. He’s very helpful and polite but still gets to be a child thankfully.

[@taylorshelton6507]

I’m 27. My friends and I at 12-14 would stay up ALL NIGHT making dances and performances to put on for our families the next day.. super embarrassing to look back on but at the same time I absolutely CHERISH those moments. It’s just before you go to high school and things get more complicated. Also, I played with Barbie’s and action figures until I was 13… and o have zero shame in that 😂

[@Amnashafiq-k5j]

omg i used to play with barbie’s when i was 13 but i gave it to my little cousin but me and my friends still act like kids lol and we are full of fun stuff but my friends have a phone but i have an ipad but i barely use it.we don’t wear makeup or crop top,or even talking to guys! i’m so glad my mom and dad don’t let me wear makeup but i can wear makeup for special occasions.now im 14 in 8th grade and still with my bffs.

[@allieethan]

I do that in 10

[@pikasisy_oi5530]

I’m in middle school, and I can proudly say (just not in front of my classmates) I still play with my plushies and they all have their own personalities and voices. Am I ashamed? Nope. 🙌

[@HolyNamed]

@@pikasisy_oi5530 atleast you aren't creating weird fanfics I support

[@leonie3319]

I’m 14 and my friendgroup drinks, vapes, smoke, do drugs, and 2 of my friends lost their V-card this year. And the sad thing is: this is not even the exception.

[@PaulWolferton]

Grosssssss

[@a_flor_rosa]

Yup, as a 13 year old a lot of us seem to be doing that. Thankfully, a good portion of my school looks down on that behavior.

[@emsmiu]

honestly you should leave that friendgroup. bad influence

[@catherinedonley2781]

Oh honey, I’m sorry for that. It’s time to find different friends, even if that means you have to be alone for awhile until you can find nice people. (They do still exist, I promise.) The people you share your life with are who you will eventually become.

[@thebloodlustedunknown836]

You poor kid.. I'm sorry.

[@masonpyle5929]

Growing up in the 2000’s I thought it was wild when kids at my elementary school talked about watching family guy, watching horror films, and playing M games. Those things are tame compared to what kids are doing now.

[@SpicyPlur]

We just wanted a whale tail 😂

[@-jank-willson]

same

[@freegender930]

😂 family Guy horror films are not for kids

[@MatthewoMoSmith]

For real, I used to sneak at night to be able to watch family guy because it felt so naughty.

[@a_flor_rosa]

Haha, as a 13 year old, I watched my first real horror movie in seventh grade and I’ve never been allowed to watch family guy

[@luisjdavis]

I preached to my daughter so much not to rush into adulthood, because you can never go back to childhood once you become an adult. She’s still thanking me about that slow transition I put her through. Love you Brett❤️

[@beautyandbrainz]

So true. Kids don’t realize they have from 18 to 100+ years old to be an adult.

[@oliviaelderberry9423]

When I was 12 I wasn't wearing makeup, I was building stick & log forts in the forest with my friends! (Both guys and girls) I was also dressing up and playing dramatic games about corrupt courts about queens and kings. I loved the funny random things me and my friends did together during our tween years! It's a time I'll never forget and I don't regret that I choose to enjoy those years. I'm also thankful my friends also enjoyed just doing fun and random things during those years!

[@AllysonMarie0512]

The fact that child was 12 and doing all this preventative measures for aging makes me extremely sad. When I was 12 I barely wore chapstick. The parents are parenting today and it shows.

[@NiceyP0123]

Not to mention the nails 🙄🙄

[@soulanstreets222]

Cultures vary on this....this is actually pretty common in Asian cultures and have been for thousands of years...of course retinol wasn't a thing back then but rituals to keep skin younger started for a lot of Asian girls around 10.

[@jaden_skywalker]

When I was 12, I wasn’t even thinking about skincare. I only started doing daily face washing when I was fourteen.

[@thedarkemissary]

Does any of that matter when she's pulling un more money than her parents?

[@victorcates9330]

According to McKinsey, the beauty market in 2022 stood at $430 billion revenue (I'd assume globally). So there would be some people for whom manufacturing life-long consumers of goop that once used is gone is desirable. Since the 1980's kids have had disposable income, so parents can try and raise their kids on their terms, but they'd have music, television, fashion companies interested in circumventing or subverting their parenting. But the McKinsey article also discussed Gen z explicitly. It mentioned messaging around the brands, making expenditure in the beauty category as a technology of self. So rather that makeup being a questionably necessary item, it can be something where smearing the right goop announces yourself as a nice person. That creates an additional psychological hook and an excuse. Plausibly a kid can accuse their parent of denying them the materials necessary for the expression of their 'authentic' self. Yay consumerism!

[@Simplehomeschoollife]

I homeschool and I currently have an 11 yo. There is no way that I am going to let her skip this phase. What is amazing is that the tween phase happens naturally if you let them be. She goes from dreaming about cute boys one minute to playing with her Bluey toys with her little sister the next. It makes me sad that some girls feel pressure to fast forward through the tween phase.

[@sabrinamusicreviews8025]

It's a fun phase! Let her enjoy it! She doesn't need social media to turn her insecure and unconfident--as it most certainly will.

[@ellenanderson7635]

Same! And there's a huge difference between what my daughter does and what she knows about and talks about and what her friends who go to public school do and know and talk about!

[@monicaprzestrzelski4677]

there's also been the death of boy/girl bands. no more "bands" targeted towards tween girls like we had with One Direction, 5SOS, Little Mix, or even millennials had with N*SYNC, BSB, Spice Girls, etc. where did they all go? where are the new up and comings? all we get for everyone is people like you mentioned that are primarily targeted towards adults

[@JonRaybon]

You mean Cardi B isn't for tweens?

[@Ivy_Boo]

@@JonRaybon I’m pretty sure you’re joking, but no, she absolutely is not 😂

[@Rogue849]

Maybe K-Pop

[@fearlessfimmies]

Kpop groups cater well with tweens! For example, the newer kpop groups debut between the ages of 15-19 and the minors are *usually* wearing age appropriate outfits. One of the biggest Kpop companies (HYBE, which BTS is under) have been starting to go global and target a western audience.

[@m4tta]

i miss those! they were great influencers for young teens. i feel like the only popular artists today are rappers

[@hannahlinger196]

Just went into my mom’s room, gave her a hug, and just said “thank you for making me be a kid.”

[@NIAAESTHTIC]

That’s sweet

[@christina2763]

That’s a good mom! She would always tell me, “Go outside! Be a kid!” She wouldn’t let me have social media when other people would in eighth or even SEVENTH grade. I’m glad so I could just have no worries.

[@HopesAdventuresYT]

I am 14! Just graduated 8th grade, going into Highschool now! What sucked was I am and was one of the only girls in school that didn’t wear makeup! Me and my best friend were as I knew were the only girls that didn’t do skincare or wore makeup or wore super cute fancy clothes to school! I felt left out but remembered that this childhood/ being a teen doesn’t last forever! And while all others girls in our school talk about makeup and skin care! Me and my best friend were climbing trees, going to the park, talking about Harry Potter! So I love not being like all others girls my age and growing up to fast! Being a kid/ teen is wayyyy more fun!

[@thehiders5672]

I think I tend to see a lot more girls like you in my class this year, maybe it's the specific program but I don't see the trend Brett spoke of so much.

[@animaticToshiue]

Good for you ❤

[@m0nk836]

Being a kid is absolutely more fun!! Don't ever quit it! I'm in my 30's and I'll always be a kid at heart and so will my husband. Don't let anyone ever change that about you! ❤️

[@Amnashafiq-k5j]

well i’m going to be an 8th grader but me and my friends don’t wear makeup or have TikTok at all but it’s just i hate the kids that are obsessed with makeup and trying to impress boys! but me and friends play roblox and talk about like video games and we even do party’s and it’s so fun to just hang out with friends!

[@kaylaalewine7623]

Same!

[@risinbison1106]

My wife is a HS counselor. The stories she comes home with would give you chills. The pressure these young girls are under breaks my heart. If a girl doesn’t conform she is roasted on social media and is an outcast.

[@enderduck1799]

wait isn't what's said in the sessions confidential?

[@risinbison1106]

@@enderduck1799 sure is and if she doesn’t use names, which she never does, it doesn’t break confidentiality. Doctors , lawyers and counselors all use the same criteria.

[@gradygal81]

Preteens is not supposed to be the prime of your life! It’s awkward, it’s uncomfortable, but that’s how it is, and that’s ok!

[@Es24688]

I jokingly say they remind me of baby giraffes or something because they just aren’t proportionate and having quite grown into themselves at that age.

[@Rifamilyble]

Nobody dictates that preteens is not supposed to be the prime of your life. I will keep this in mind

[@DannyDevitoOffical-TrustMeBro]

@@Rifamilyble what on earth are you talking about? The awkward, painful phase of childhood shouldn’t be the prime of one’s life, that just means that person has had a pretty sucky life

[@enozlliks7794]

@@Rifamilyble Go back to the mental institute you broke out of

[@imawindis1600]

Yeah I just be gaming, I still remember all them all nighters

[@kittee6409]

Remember the erasers shaped like animals that would come apart? Those were the shit.

[@DannyDevitoOffical-TrustMeBro]

They suck as erasers, but darn are those things adorable. I also like the ones shaped like foods, we had a burger that would actually come apart into its different components. It was super satisfying to slot the lettuce, cheese, burger, and tomatoes into the peg on the bottom bun, the fit was perfect

[@hannahmwaddle]

lol I actually still have a couple - the fancy japanese ones 😂 they hold sentimental value at this point, reminder of the fun of preteen years 😊

[@-m08532]

My sisters and I (we’re all still in school) have cute little avocado ones with faces randomly sitting around our house right now. 😂

[@canyouseethroughmytears]

Truly. I loved those things so much. I loved collecting them.

[@bibasik7]

I think I still have a couple of those somewhere. I had the ones that were shaped like food.

[@Behappy-m2l]

As an 11 year old I am surrounded by my friends who are constantly looking at my face and telling me what “skincare” I should be using. And I am so grateful to be raised by my parents who have pushed me to go outside and enjoy the rest of my childhood. And I have to admit that sometimes I do look at myself when I am around my friends and think maybe I do need all of those things.

[@addyxinwonderland1473]

Hey just a heads up, be very very careful on the internet since you're so young. Technically you're not even supposed to be on youtube yet. So please just stay safe! ❤

[@EtheriaI]

Dude thats so sad I was in distance learning when I was 11 and no one at my school really did that yet when we got back to school

[@candyqueencandyqueen2689]

When I was 12-14 my friends and I pretended that we were simone biles and would pretend we could do gymnastics. We also read and wrote cringy fanfics. Fan girled over characters from the outsiders as well as other things.

[@Cocreatewithus]

I pretended to be Nadia Comeneci because, well, I'm old lol

[@haywoodjablowmi1427]

@@Cocreatewithus idk it’s endearing to think that throughout time, certain behaviors like that don’t change. It’s just girls being girls... It’s like playing with doll. It’s cute to think that a little girl, whether it be thirty years ago or thousands of years ago, was playing with dolls and doodling the same way I was as a kid. Girlhood is beautiful. ( edit: childhood in general in beautiful, but since we’re talking about girls here… )

[@mistyPOols]

In 4th my friends and I decided to be bee catchers and would look for them in the field at school but instead of catching them. As soon as we saw them we bolted lol.and 12-14 we were obsessed with fnaf we would draw it. And at that age me and my bff got tape and made a school bus out of cardboard and walked around inside of it outside. 😂

[@kittye850]

@@Cocreatewithuslol I was an 80’s kid, so it was Kim Zmeskal for me!

[@NaggingStudent]

At 2nd grade I was at reccess with my friends and we were all pretending to be FNAF animatronics while one of us was the security guard. It was goofy, but it was truly a fun experience.

[@Kayleigh-vi1id]

I’m a 15 years old, and I have EIGHT brothers and two sisters. I once told a classmate this and she said “Sorry for you childhood with all those brothers” and I told her “Nah, my childhood was actually so much fun, my brothers and I would wake up at 7 am, run downstairs and play Super Smash Bros or Mario Party on the Wii U until our parents woke up. Then we would go outside and play in the backyard until lunch or dinner. It was great.” And she said “Mm” with a sort of “I don’t care” look. Most of my friends and my ex-boyfriend were iPad kids growing up. And I love them all, but they are all at least a little awkward and/or depressed. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I’ve never thought about suicide or self-harm.

[@SevenStarSkyes]

Me and my siblings were the same way! Except I had 3 sisters, I'm almost 2 years older, and we tended to play Wii games as well (New Super Mario Bros Wii, Wii Sports Resort, Just Dance (which I hated), and Smash Bros Brawl), as well as the WiiU games of course. We'd also play DS/3DS games like Animal Crossing or Pokémon together I'm glad I had a good early childhood

[@nanceepants3384]

You got to experience a non social media childhood ! I feel bad for the kids growing up nowadays... going outside and Playing with your friends are the best memories to have!

[@AutumnTheAxalotl]

Yeah, I’m in a similar situation. While I defiantly don’t have as many siblings as you (I got 4) we all love spending time together and playing games y one is always flabbergasted when they realise I have a good relationship with my siblings. And to my friends or people that know me I may seem like I’m perfect, I’m always happy and try gn my best but that’s onyl Becuase of my siblings. I’m really glad I’m not the only one and I hope you have a good day!

[@Abbywabby16]

Same and sometimes ipads are a good way to connect with your siblings because you get to play games together like roblox and minecraft

[@___-000]

You had a whole relationship and broke up before turning 15 years old? Damn...

[@Iloverats71270]

When I was a pre-teen (now 16) I was severely depressed. What pulled me out of it was the 2010-2015 era. More specifically, One direction. I still try and live like it’s that era, and thankfully I have a bunch of friends that LOVE the culture of that time. I’m so much more happier and I just gotta thank one direction for that 🙏🏻

[@priscillajimenez27]

As a tween i never went through the awkward phase. I just enjoyed my life as a tween in the late 90s/early 2000s. The only awkward thing was transitioning from tomboy to a lil more feminine. Aside from thst i still did my own thing. I went to church, warched old school anime, played sports, and read a lot. I didn't care what others thought despite any bullying

[@HeartEllis]

Are you Christian?

[@eancola6111]

Yeah now the “transition” is a little different

[@kristenadorno]

You’re lucky! I, too, went to church and it was the place I felt the most whole. I also played sports and read a lot. I was in gifted classes. However, I felt awkward in my body, I started being bullied so harshly and even woke up to being tagged in Facebook posts saying I should end myself all because of rumors that came from being having fever blisters on my lips that I had since I was a toddler. But kids are mean and made up disgusting rumors about me and ruined my whole experience. After a couple of sui***e attempts, my dad pulled me out and let me home school. Now my children will NOT be attending public school.

[@HeartEllis]

@@kristenadorno luck isn't real,but God controls

[@VueiyVisarelli]

That age range was when I felt like I kinda solidified who I was and who I wanted to be. I'm still a tomboy, but that was when I realized that caring what other people thought was a waste of time, especially when those other people were stupid tween bullies. Nowadays, bullies generate AI p0rn of other kids and post them online. It's _insane._

[@roxyp7569]

When I was a kid this was the last thing on my mind. I remember the first time I discovered eyeliner, I was 12. And back then, everyone said I was TOO EARLY FOR THIS! Now these kids are starting at 10 and being told they don’t have much time! 😢 If only these children knew that they have their WHOLE life ahead to worry about this, and us adults would do anything to go back to that time! Enjoy your childhood while you can!

[@thehiders5672]

As a 15yr old guy, my main interests are Lego and 3D Modeling, I don't think we, as guys, have a comparable alternative to Sephora but we do tend to indulge in things like the stock market, shoes and stuff like that. I think it's also important to note that you will be able to find/form a group of friends who will agree with you and do similar things. It's not the biggest problem to the individual because you can still hang out with your crowd, maintaining your values and interests.

[@stop.followingme]

As a 14 year old girl I love 3d modeling 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@kevinh5983]

Parents should be protectors. Protectors of innocence, from danger, and from destructive behaviors. Most parents are trying to avoid being parents. So glad my 11 yo daughter is having the childhood she deserves, and not being pulled into adulthood like some of her classmates.

[@Potatoypotato]

When I was 13 I was watching Disney and being a normal awkward young teen. When my sister was 13, she was watching shows about Playboy bunny's and Jersey shore and was tanning, sexting boys, wanted a virgin daiquiri everywhere we went so she could look like she was drinking, was already starting to sneak alcohol from my parents, and getting into fights at school. Now obviously there were other contributing factors to her issues but I strongly believe a large part of it is cuz my parents let her watch these shows that were way too old for her and she wanted to act like those trashy older teens or early twenties. Your kids are going to want to emulate what you let them watch and way too many parents nowadays expose their kids to things that are not age appropriate

[@alyssamurphy2002]

Holy crumbs.

[@ghost247music8]

This urban culture influence shit is what really makes me mad bro. I've seen it sm and its turning young girls into basically 18 year olds trapped in a 13 year old body. Just be a freaking kid 😭go play and watch disney princes

[@ManateeTail123]

I still like Bubble Guppies and Bluey. Maybe that’s why I feel immature lol.

[@Just_Call_Me_Tim]

My brother and his wife don’t let their daughter watch just whatever thing. They all get along seemingly very well, she’s kept her grades up, is respectful and respectable, and doesn’t “show her ass” off in public. Some people want to be parents and others want to show up their own parents.

[@jimmcneal5292]

World slowly goes back to tradition again

[@carissaanne.author]

I'm so glad you mentioned YA books and the publishing industry! I'm a YA author myself, and the "teen" books publishers have been putting out over the past several years have been appalling. I do some early reviews for YA books from main publishing houses, and most of what I've been sent has been downright nasty, especially when you consider that the book was meant for a 13-15 year-old. It's one of the many reasons my YA books will always be geared toward and appropriate for the teen audience, and that I make sure both parents and teens know that they will find clean, appropriate content in what I write.

[@Grub3872]

those multi-coloured pens were the THING back when i was in elementary and middle school

[@DannyDevitoOffical-TrustMeBro]

Did anyone else have those colored pencils with rainbow striped led in them? They usually came out brown, but when I was eight that pencil was one of my most prized possessions. The few times you managed to twist it around at just the right timing and angle to get no brown were super satisfying

[@TheSpiderPan]

as a child of the 80s, it's nice to see that some things don't change. all hail the multicolored pen!

[@priscillajimenez27]

When I was in middle school thry were only four colors lol

[@LindsayS_TX]

Yes! The rainbow pencils and sparkly gelly roll pens 😍😎

[@Cupcake_Royale]

They were so fun and addicting.

[@Xaforn]

As a preteen I was a nerd with shelves stuffed full of books and notebooks, I loved anime when it wasn’t cool (still do) , and enjoyed traveling with my parents. I’ve been to every state except Alaska even spent a month in the Philippines!

[@davidrogerjr.4796]

I am grateful that my youngest sister turned out the way she did. We are 10 years apart, so many would think that we would not see eye to eye on a lot of things. But growing older, I've realized how much responsibility I had in protecting her innocence. It helped that she gravitated towards my hobbies (playing tabletop/video games, reading, watching anime); that way, i could curate her experiences appropriately. I would encourage any older sibling out their to be involved in your younger siblings life. Be there to guide them along the way to a similar place as you or beyond.

[@sydneysorensen8022]

as a dancer, i see this a lot in the younger girls. as 9 year olds, they are talking about the sol de janeiro perfume they just bought and wearing lululemon sets. at this age, i talked about going to the zoo and getting a cupcake. i wore bright colors non matching outfits. you have the by-products of gentle parenting, but you also have the by-products of harsh parents who force them to grow up too fast. not to mention the beige moms who don’t let their kids be kids. some of these moms are so mean to their children and it’s so sad to see.

[@ghost247music8]

can we please bring back the 1980s parenting where your parents will beat your ass if you screw up but as long as you finish your work you can do whatever you want and the parents wont care? Please lol God I would have loved to be a 2000s kid too... it sucks being 17 rn

[@356z]

Social media. I keep saying IG, tic tac and OF need to get banned

[@Firstfalconfree]

My 9 year old has a Gizmo watch so I can call her inside from our acreage without running all over looking for her, or she can call me if she sees one of our livestock in trouble. She has no social media, no internet access outside of a few curated educational sites (and only gets on once or twice a week as part of homeschool, with me in the room), etc. We play video games like Zelda and Mario together as a family on occasion, and the kids have tablets, but they only have access to them a few times a month (usually in a waiting room or a long car trip). We read a TON of books. She plays with toys, crafts, plays "pretend", and plays with her toddler siblings aaaallll the time. She's teaching her 1 year old sister a dance right now while I'm cooking dinner. Playgrounds are her love language. 😂 Then we go to something with other kids her age, and more than half the kids are on a screen the entire time, not wanting to interact with anyone beyond watching videos on their phones. It makes me so sad to think these kids are losing that exuberance and zest for life in pursuit of the dopamine hits from social media. 😢

[@Firstfalconfree]

BTW, we gentle parent, and that absolutely does NOT mean kids get no consequences for behaving poorly. They are still held to standards of behavior, and are expected to follow rules. The idea that gentle parenting means permissive parenting is wrong. Unfortunately, a lot of these folks learn how to "gentle parent" from social media influencers, rather than the good resources out there, so they don't know the difference between gentle and permissive parenting, to the detriment of their kids.

[@sabrinamusicreviews8025]

@@ghost247music8 That's why I obsessively watch Gilmore Girls lol I'm nostalgic about a time when I wasn't even alive

[@mariakovacs9867]

In my pre-teens I did a lot of outdoor hiking, bicycling, also motor scootered, worked after school, paid monthly to belong to a book of the month club to read, read, read, and read classics and also experimented with crocheting neon-vibrant vest tops and shawls.. plus embroidered blue jeans and roller-skating in the 1970's!❤ we also bicycled or hiked up the Los Feliz Hills and played lots of tennis with our family.

[@InfinitumOps]

My youngest cousin is going through this right now. Sadly she's one of the kids who is acting and dressing like the kind of adults that no parent should ever let their child become or even try to act on. Hopefully there'll be some kind of guidance for her where she'll be able to realize what she is doing is wrong and be able to grow up like a child should normally be rather than growing up too fast.

[@vanessabeverage8037]

Can we PLEASE make all social media platforms for 18 and up people only!!! Would save our youth I think. I'm a millennial that grew up in the MySpace and Facebook era and can confirm it's not good to be on there. lol

[@AliyahNadeau]

My husband and I agreed that when we have kids they can’t use social media until they’re 18,I was given a Facebook at 10yo(I’m 22 now),was allowed unsupervised time on the computer and had a full blown p*rn addiction from 10-19 because i was unsupervised and not told about it.I thankfully never spoke to strangers online but having social media so young,plus being allowed to watch horrible tv(in a Christian house mind you,my family just watched trashy shows and movies thinking they were cool for letting us watch )and movies,plus video games not only ruined my attention span,opened the door for addiction and got in the way of creativity.After what I have seen from such a young age I know that I will educate our children on what’s out there without letting them get involved with it from such a young age.

[@mastersnet18]

Damn, I’m a millennial too but I must be older cuz I remember when Facebook was exclusively for college students. I don’t consider myself to have grown up on any social media platforms.

[@dianabarrios688]

​@@AliyahNadeau Same, girl, same. When I tell you this feels like I just read my own life story... I started my porn addiction at 11. For so long I blamed my mom for this because, even though she was careful with where and who she let me hang out with, she never monitored what I was watching at home. She probably thought keeping me at home was keeping me safe, but little did she know that my unmonitored access to internet and social media would lead me to a decade-long addiction that still affects the way I view myself, my sexuality and even my marriage. Having grown up as a Christian girl and having fallen into this horrible addiction and lust made me feel so disgusting throughout my whole life. I am so thankful with Christ for several years later bringing me to a real understanding of who He is, who I am and what He did on the Cross. I am 27 years old now with a lovely husband who understood and stayed by me through my battle with addiction. I still face temptation, of course, but Jesus has given me freedom and has carried me through it all. I hope you experienced this too, sis. ❤

[@llamasugar5478]

I refused to “friend” anyone under 18. I wanted to be an adult in an adult place. We didn’t let our kids make Facebook accounts until they were 18 because we were concerned about privacy. (I never posted their pictures and referred to them as DS-dear son, and DD-dear daughter)

[@Cupcake_Royale]

Ya no, that's a bit of a stretch.

[@yahnailovesu0285]

As a teen, i actually like the things preteens like. Like skincare makeup, ect, but i still love reading stuff, animals, dolls, and watching Disney and before anyone asks me what books that i read I'll read almost anything, especially Harry Potter

[@Inmytaylorera]

Same I love Harry Potter, any reading, Netflix shows, skincare, and Disney and I’m a teen.

[@yahnailovesu0285]

@Inmytaylorera and sadly, I can't do a lot of things because I had 2 surgeries

[@Inmytaylorera]

@@yahnailovesu0285 oh no that’s horrible

[@yahnailovesu0285]

@@Inmytaylorera it's fine

[@saraberisha8133]

Exactly

[@Ellie-Blackheart]

When I was 14 I was quite a dirtbag so I did wear makeup but instead of doing gwrwm and filmed TikTok after school I would go surfing ,skating, annoy teacher with my friends once me and my friends even tried to start a band it was something... My teenage year were my best year I didn’t want to skip it and become an adult

[@IronForce05]

I love the fact that i was homeschooled, the only thing i cared about when i was 10 to 13 was when would i find the Omnitrix or when i would get bitten by a radioactive spider

[@TheRandomReveiwer_101]

same but i wanted to be a Winx fairy or have firebending

[@DannyDevitoOffical-TrustMeBro]

Just graduated after being a homeschooled kid my whole life, and I’m totally with you on this. At ten I still anticipated quick sand being a much larger concern than it actually is

[@catherinewardwell2117]

Love this! I homeschool my teenage son:) He will never go to pub Ed

[@MTwezzy-Magica.MTwice_Mag]

I was homeschooled too

[@michaelpitman8617]

I thought I was a dragon for way too long 😂 like Jake the American dragon i was homeschooled for awhile but mostly went to a private Christian school

[@jcarey1983]

Social media is destroying society 😂

[@TechMan042]

I don't think it's really impacting men in a significantly negative way, but women are highly susceptible to marketing propaganda and brainwashing, and it has clearly scrambled their brains completely

[@catherinewardwell2117]

Bad parenting is destroying society!

[@MarkMay-cr6bv]

@@catherinewardwell2117 Bad parents allow their kids to be on social media.

[@JLWprime10]

Man I miss the early 2000s so much

[@Battlefield1918]

@@catherinewardwell2117 Both social media and bad parenting are destroying society, 2 simple solutions, you ban these social media platforms (Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Tinder, sinful dating sites, adult sites, etc), and you also introduce God. There also has to be laws put in place to incentivize parents to be good parents, those who aren't being good parents will be subject to repercussions, punishments, fines, even jail time/prison if necessary.

[@CatharinaPineschi]

I’m 14 years old. I moved to Canada when I was 5 and my parents did everything in their power to keep me innocent (no social media, meeting friends and parents, etc.) At 12 I moved back to my home country, and it was a shock. I had trouble making friends as all the girls in my grade were so grown up. I literally only knew 4 swear words, but I had no idea what they meant, just that they were bad. All my makeup was from Clair’s and was for special occasions. All the girls in my grade wore nearly full faces everyday. I was stuck with the kids that were considered weird. My only option at being liked was to become like everyone else.

[@catherinedonley2781]

I know it’s hard, but sometimes it’s better to be alone than to be liked.

[@flavioteron799]

Actually I’ve met plenty of “adults” who are still in the preteen phase even at 30.

[@missakialexandria]

I think this hits the nail on the head! If they grow up too quickly, they can get stuck in arrested development immaturity as an adult.

[@DavidZ4-gg3dm]

I've had colleagues of that age who've never made a bed, washed a dish or cooked a meal.

[@ALPHAANDOMEGA1998]

​@DavidZ4-gg3dm yeah well adults can do and act however they want 🙄

[@MM-kk8uh]

"I don't look older you just never grew up"

[@DavidZ4-gg3dm]

@@ALPHAANDOMEGA1998 Why aren't healthy adults doing all those things for themselves?

[@Rhianauniversity]

Yes! There’s no wholesome transition from child to preteen to teenager to young adult anymore! Shows like euphoria and this whole make up and skin care epidemic has helped eradicate the essence of childhood.

[@Rhianauniversity]

Shows and media trends are propaganda tools that 100% influence the masses. So miss me with the iTs ReAl LiFe pEoPLeS’ eXpErIeNcEs bull crap.

[@DavidZ4-gg3dm]

Child to preteen? Preteens are children.

[@Marbledesertmedia]

THERE NEVER WAS

[@wekurtz72]

Pretty clearly Euphoria is not for kids any more than Velma is a Saturday morning cartoon.

[@andremartinez5307]

Got a Euphoria ad for this video lmao

[@territaylor3177]

As a 13 year old girl after watching this video I realized that this happened to me. Although when I was around 10-11 I didn’t want anything to do with beauty or skincare, etc now I see that now I have been influenced in literally one year to buy all of the new trendy skincare and makeup that every girl online had. I never had drunk elephant or used retinol thankfully and I don’t think anyone from my grade or friends have used it which im honestly grateful for. I really think it’s an issue that at such a young age I was influenced to ask for a jade roller for Christmas. It really saddens me that the world has come to this and that young girls have such strong insecurities and that some parents don’t question any of it.

[@nicholasmesa3588]

That made me laugh! 😅 As a Dance Teacher, this rings all too true! We have 11 y olds dancing like their 17 and just suffered the worst break up of their life! 😂 It's too much, too early!

[@p4rallax_]

A hundred yeas ago people thought that by now we would have flying cars and live for 300 years. But now I feel society is progressing backwards. Not proud of where we are going

[@Phantom24425]

This. I've been arguing for a long time that we as a species aren't going anywhere but backwards and it's truly sad to have to grow up in a world like this

[@ezxdray-jq3mh]

@@Phantom24425bro is in frown town😂

[@CyroCZc]

​@@ezxdray-jq3mh Thank you for your participation in the subject matter at hand. It seems like you're likely one of the exhibits. Enjoy your spotlight bro.

[@VibeWithMine]

as a 13 years old (the oldest gen alpha/the youngest gen z out there), i honestly feel disgusted how kids in the US or other regions are like this. I do the same i play with pens, drew paintings when i was younger and it’s fine. Not going to Sephora dawg

[@MSYAviation]

Same age, i agree. Ima a male but gang no need to pull up to school like that LMAO.

[@kelly.nicole]

I wasnt even allowed to get makeup until i was like 16. i used to just use my moms lol. these kids spending $200 on sephora or target is insane

[@DannyDevitoOffical-TrustMeBro]

I’m almost an adult and I still don’t wear makeup, I also never bothered with fashion trends of any sort. I wear what makes me comfortable, because I don’t need to impress anyone. I’ve had a great time being a kid, and my parents made sure I spent that time learning the actual skills I need to be a functioning adult, not letting me play a childish charade of adulthood to gain attention

[@canyouseethroughmytears]

Same here. At the end of this year I’ll be going into High school and it’s upsetting to see so many my age put this stuff on their faces that in the future will completely damage their skin in their later years, but besides the point, it’s just upsetting. Thankfully my father won’t allow me to wear makeup, even if I wanted to, so I won’t fall into this gap. Just wish more parents cared more about their children’s health and safety.

[@ghost247music8]

I'm 17 and I really feel bad for your generation. Everything is just going down the drain for yall. Seeing 13 year old girls do adult type tiktok dances is just disheartening to me.. not to mention they all try to look like models. And yes I've been jailbaited a few times. If youre 13 please dont try to look, act, dress like 18. But its the downfall of society ig. Oh well.

[@Strix07024]

This is why I’m not rushing my daughter’s childhood/preteen years. We are fighting this current culture and pushing back tooth and nail. No social media, no expensive skincare or makeup, no smart devices. We’re doing learning more about Jesus, time outside in our big gardens, homeschooling, trips with family, sleep, good nutrition, co-op with likeminded mama’s, and their kiddos and modest clothing. 💗

[@MajorKenshy]

I think the biggest problem is that not many parent are like you. They give kids smartphone/tablet so they don't need take care of them while posting pictures of their "perfect family" on FB/Instagram.

[@Firstfalconfree]

Same, all the way down the list. We are pushing back the tide as best we can!

[@tlohry570]

Same. And good job!

[@sabrinamusicreviews8025]

What do you mean "modest clothing". Do you mean the mothers are wearing modest clothing? Isn't "modesty" something for adult women to focus on, not little girls?

[@shelceygusek427]

​​@@sabrinamusicreviews8025exactly...they listed off gardening and nutrition like that's something kids should be focused on. 😂

[@Yippeekiyaylildougee]

My sister and I were at the mall the other day. Just looking around and stuff. We are in bath and body works smelling all the scents and stuff, and we see two SEVEN YEAR OLDS walking around ALONE WITHOUT ANY PARENTS completely decked out in LULULEMON carrying SEPHORA, LULULEMON, and bath and body works bags. YOU ARE SEVEN (they were talking to eachother about what they got for their seventh birthday, the latest iPhone, lululemon, drunk elephant). So sad to see this. Also, the fact that their parents drove them there and said, “yeah, go ahead in all alone” is insane to me. I really feel so bad for them.

[@elinbird00]

SEVEN??? I was getting lost at target at 7 how ar worse ts leaving there kids at bath and body works alone???

[@RajiRahan]

when i was 7 seven i didnt even know what bath and body works is tf 😭

[@Feedmeyoubastard_00]

Uh, it’s pretty normal for kids to walk around without parents.

[@maryrichardson1318]

I do have to say that even back in the 90s, there were a lot of girls who went straight from being a little kid to being a near grown adult. I was substitute teaching in a Department of Defense Dependents Middle School in Germany in the late 90s. I was on a field trip to the base bowling alley with a group of 6th graders. It was lunch time and there were a lot of young soldiers in the snack bar. Most were 18-23 ish. There was a gaggle of 12 year old female students, who by the way, thanks to all the hormones in food nowadays, looked quite a bit older. The girls were flirting with the soldiers. As the young men gathered around them, I walked up behind a couple of them and whispered in their ear "One word....JAILBAIT. They are 12, move along."

[@ghost247music8]

Its frustrating me as a 17 year old... like bruh if youre 13, please dont act, dress, talk, like youre 18 😭 13 be looking like 17-18 now and its CRAZY... what the hell is in the water bro

[@GilbertGoesWow]

@maryrichardson1318 I feel the 'hormones in food' and its wide reaching side effects is a very large conversation which is long overdue; your comment is the first time I have seen it alluded to even in socially aware content such as this.

[@scotthearts9634]

There is definitely something wrong with our food. Especially considering a lot of kids and teenagers consume a lot of fast/junk food in general.

[@dmtaboo_truth7052]

@@ghost247music8 Stop complaining and smash while you can.

[@fredsas12]

The sad thing is that feminist absolutely support this. This is where the "girls mature faster that boys" mistruths come from. They talk and act like they are older, so that means they are more mature as fact.. However, this is skin deep only and when they are challenged, they instantly break down and become a "I'm just a kid" victim.. This is where it all starts...

[@fakesoda3306]

my baby sisters are absolutely following this trend, its really disturbing and sad and my parents dont seem to think this is an issue, even tho i have talked to them about this multiple times. not looking forward to what they start trying to get into in the next 5 years :(

[@laurapowell16]

THANK YOU for this! I am constantly telling my 12&9 yo girls that they don't need products. Their skincare routine is "being young." We have never even been in Ulta, Sephora, etc. Someone complimented my 15yo and asked what her skincare routine was, and she said "water and a washcloth." I will so enjoy showing them this video from someone so much younger and cooler than I am 😂

[@internetcatfish]

If you go to a bookstore looking for something for tweens or teens, your options are basically Harry Potter or the Inheritance Cycle. Everything else is either children's books that most of them will turn their noses up at, adult books that are either too difficult or too mature for them, or classics that are probably also too difficult because they were written at a time when the average child was smarter than today's adults. Go read The Hobbit and keep in mind that it was originally marketed as a children's book.

[@jaden_skywalker]

It’s almost impossible to find good tween or teen stuff that’s decent. I really started reading YA when I was 12. Part of that is because I read really fast, so any age appropriate books were read in less than a day. Libraries still have some good stuff, but when I go into a bookstore looking for books to buy, I buy books that I already know that I want to read. One of my favourite books growing up was the Secret Garden, but I spent much of my time reading the Hunger games, I was like 10 btw. We need more tween and actually for teens book series.

[@GoldenFieldsSchleich]

I never had trouble reading old classics that were meant for adults, so reading children’s classics was pretty easy for me. I think sometimes that kids aren’t as smart as before, probably because of screens

[@internetcatfish]

@@jaden_skywalker I was basically the same way. I remember checking out books labeled as being 8th-10th grade reading levels from the elementary school library. Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Inheritance Cycle, Ranger's Apprentice, The Book Thief, and many others like those. It got to the point where in 6th (?) grade, I had to have the English teacher modify one of the class requirements for me because I had already read and taken the reading tests for so many of the books in the library. They had a program where you could read a book, take a quiz to prove you understood it, and get points for it. There was always a minimum required for class, but you could win prizes for having the most in your grade. By the time I was in middle school, I had read so many of their books that I didn't have anything new to read, and the system doesn't allow you to test on a book more than once. In order to not lose points from class, I had to manually log what books I had read with the teacher so she could prove I read something for the classwork.

[@internetcatfish]

@@GoldenFieldsSchleich Like I said, The Hobbit was originally marketed as a children's book. Many of the adults I know wouldn't be able to read it.

[@DaisySoCrazy6]

My favorite children - teens book is the Percy Jackson series

[@tsmidnightrain230]

I think that it is because preteens have nowhere to go. And yes, there are stores still open like justice and Claire's that are made for preteens but, since our entire lives are online and there are no places for preteens online, they end up watching the content made for adults, which influences the kid's lifestyle.

[@MelissaCaskey-wm7zp]

Also, I have tweens and I’m not sure if parents are actually dropping their kids off at the mall anymore lol. We used to get dropped off at the mall and go to all those stores. But malls aren’t a thing anymore, and it’s not as normal for kids to have that kind of freedom at that age.

[@danielk.english6004]

@@MelissaCaskey-wm7zp - depending on where you are, kids unaccompanied by adults could be banned due to flash shoplifting.

[@birdwatcher287]

Yes, 8 years ago the age to go unaccompanied at our local pool with multiple lifeguards was 10. They are now trying to make it 14 and I just want the kids to have somewhere to go meet up with friends.

[@natm2108]

Thank you so much ! I showed this episode to my 12 years old daughter and we talk after about her feeling . And she is struggling , she don’t want to grove up so fast and she is not into cosmetics and dating boys , but she told me she feels this pressure and how girls her age act …. She didn’t not fit in. ….

[@meleebrawler6462]

Make the Preteen Phase a thing again!

[@surlespasdondine]

It still very mucb is. My daughter and her friends ate normal preteens and they are not online. Many still exist.

[@Ilovesnoopydog]

Coming from a 13 year old girl, (I consider myself to be very mature, also being the oldest of 4 kids) agree with all of this. Sure, I'll look in Sephora and Ulta every once in a while, but 1: I never buy anything 2: I only look at some makeup that is not to much (if you know what I mean). I feel like we (meaning preteens-teens) want to grow up so fast, that we forget how old we really are and what we actualy need. Love your videos!

[@carolinamihai4831]

I am almost 17, and I still tye my hair with beautiful ribbons and colorful threads, my makeup is just sometimes mascara, and my skincare is water and baby cream, while these kids are going around sephora and are building a very toxic image for themselves, that will definetely affect them in the future

[@gracegoodbye3663]

When I was at the mall a few weeks ago, I passed by a Sephora and decided to see if it was really that bad. I watched a girl scream at her mom to buy her the new dunk elephant. Then a group of girls, the oldest no older than 12, and the youngest no older than 8, were trying the samplers and making smoothies, leaving a huge mess and not caring. They left the place a huge mess. I was looking for a blush, and I found one in my shade, only for an 8-year-old to snatch it....

[@stingwcw]

What the hell is a dunk elephant?

[@gracegoodbye3663]

@@stingwcw it’s a skin care brand that young Sephora girls love, it has bright colours and packaging

[@stingwcw]

@gracegoodbye3663 Oh, ok, thank you

[@khfan4life365]

Just yesterday, I went to Target to get some eyeliner for my mother and found the makeup display ruined by someone’s brat. They used a brown makeup pencil to deface the display picture and then made a mess of the display cases. An employee was cleaning up as I made my way to L’Oreal.

[@LionKey-ef2nz]

I honestly hate the fact that I know the stuff I know, but compared to some kids my age, its terrifying. The fact that I grew up with parents that taught me strong boundaries is a mirical! Its honestly disgusting what the norms are now. But what kills me is the fact that even soms children, like actually children, know about this stupid stuff. Just let yourself life your childhood! Who cares what others think! You only need 1 friend, and that can be yourself! Stand up for what you believe, cuz if you dont, who will?

[@Rcganti]

I still have all of my old movies that I made with my friends when was like 11. Looking back those days were really fun and enjoyable. Don't skip the days cause you find em cringe just be a kid before everything

[@mathewdempsey16]

If and when I have a family, I’m not letting my kids online AT ALL without supervision, and then only if it’s for school. If my kids want to do something fun, they can read a book or go outside and just BE CHILDREN!!!!

[@missakialexandria]

You'll probably need to homeschool then, cuz they get like this as much from peers at school as they do from the internet. Public school kids w no phones are still like this.

[@mathewdempsey16]

@@missakialexandria I do realize that and I probably would homeschool them

[@Abbotttdesign]

"if my kids want to do something fun, they can read a book..." 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[@balaportejean7015]

Not your kids. Chill

[@catherinewardwell2117]

Yes yes homeschool is the way to go. My 13 year old still plays and I limit his screen time and he’s not allowed on social apps. He does not have his own devices either. When we go on road trips, he rocks a toy box with books, colouring, toys, etc and no device for up to 13 hours! It’s all about training, practice and being a role model. Stay strong on your values as it will make a huge difference in your children, their personalities and their development.

[@s4di.3]

It’s been a slow build alongside the rise of social media. I basically grew up alongside these social media platforms and even then the impact on my mental health was strong. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for kids growing up today.

[@NunyaNomi]

I have a few VHS tapes recorded with my parents gigantic shoulder mounted video camera that captured 9-12 year old girls being absolute weirdos. Making commercials, talk shows, and magic shows. It was awesome 😎

[@violetnorwen8491]

The commercials where the best to make!

[@Lelajojo]

I work in aftercare (or daycare) and I can say that even girls at the age of 8 are doing makeup, wearing crop tops, walking around with their Stanley’s, and have caffeine addictions (from Starbucks). One girl that I was watching even had some kind of Sephora sunscreen that was sparkly and pink. My colleague (who’s my age; late teens) was asking her where she got it. Little girls nowadays remind me of some of the girls from my high school. They have Snapchat (which is the most sketchy social media in my opinion), instagram, tik tok, and the only thing that they do to be kids is go to camps and daycare. It’s honestly sad. When I was a preteen (which was like 3-7 years ago, me and my friends still played with dolls and rode our bikes around our neighborhood, and played in creeks. We didn’t care about how we looked, we just played.

[@thatonealivecorpse]

When I was 12, I remember a friend staying at my house. We put on swimsuits, and took a bath with bubbles while ranting about our favorite tea and books. We had no intention of anything except innocence. Afterwards we put our hair in huge messy buns and put hoods over it. It was ugly. The point is, seeing these kids try and be beautiful, almost like high schoolers, just makes me feel sad. I really do wish all preteens could have been like my friend and I.

[@hannahotradovec6101]

It’s so true! When I was growing up there was Hannah Montana, Selena Gomez (in her teen pop era), even Taylor Swift was still in her teen pop era, and now there are really no young stars like that.

[@janeyrevanescence12]

If I had acted like these kids when I was that age in Sephora…my Mom would’ve handed my butt to me and I wouldn’t have been allowed out of the house for the rest of the summer. Make real parenting (not gentle parenting) great again!

[@canyouseethroughmytears]

This isn’t gentle parenting, this is permissive parenting.

[@ghost247music8]

make serious, firm, but lenient non-helicopter freerange parenting. Its the only way. That's why 80s kids grew up to be good people.. they had responsibilities and freedoms early

[@bzblog9127]

Almost 19 year old here! My childhood was absolutely elite it was me and my Barbie’s against the world and I honestly think part of it was the fact that I grew up using my sibling’s stuff and I’m the youngest so it’d be stuff like dolls and Nintendo ds and then I added my own flair with Minecraft and stuff. So sad the way kids feel the need to grow up.

[@Avery-ul7gh]

My mom only let us eat healthy food and products growing up, I graduated highschool in May, and as soon as I did I bought a bunch of perfume, skin products, and food with synthetic color and preservatives. I felt horrible, fatigued, irritable, I thought I was literally dieing I felt so weak. I was too prideful to admit that my mom was right but she is, I got rid of everything that wasn't natural and had fragrance in it. I have been getting stronger again every day. Organic soap bar is all I use and my skin is amazing BTW.

[@adriennepyle7625]

I'm 45, so I'm an 80s kid. I remember me and the neighbors' girls making dance skits to the Toni Basil song "Hey Micky" and forcing the parents to watch us perform it. Also, me, my older brother, and the neighborhood kids, like 10 of us, would go down to our little park, walk in the creek for miles (armed with a machete because its S.C and theres water moccasins), and then scale the huge concrete pilons that connected the huge pipes, and walk this for miles...... like 20 feet off the ground. So much fun. It was like living the Goonies movie.

[@kblauryl8160]

OMG the Mickey dance routine! Did we all do this? Lol. How could we resist a song so catchy that also had hand claps?! My sister's and I definitely lived for this bop.

[@beautifulbutterfly1111]

Yeah I am an 80’s kid as well. And yes I also made up dance skits to “Hey Mickey”. But I also played in the mud, swam in rivers and creeks, and hung out with my brothers. That was a great time.

[@MR-fn7rw]

Lol, loved that song, but you were two or three when it first came out.

[@adriennepyle7625]

@MR-fn7rw I was 4 😀 Not surewhat your point is. Does it matter how old I was.......anyway, I heard it in the car so much. I was in elementary school when we'd dance to it.

[@Coffee_Bean08]

As a 15 year old girl... My "skincare" consists of washing my face with water and putting castor oil on my face to keep acne down. I also put baby lotion on my arms and legs as I live somewhere very dry. This is insane. I don't wear makeup. I look younger than some girls 4 or 5 years younger than me 😢

[@christopher-op5qo]

This started happening waaayyy before the pandemic. Just for frame of reference, I graduated from high school in 2006, I noticed the early stages of this stuff starting to happen…girls at my school would use spray on tanning stuff and end up looking orange, wearing short booty shorts with words across the butt…the administration got sick of seeing it and banned the entire student body from wearing shorts during school hours. You could only wear shorts if you were on some school sanctioned athletic team.

[@catherinewardwell2117]

It correlates with parents giving their teens phones and social media !!

[@ghost247music8]

@@catherinewardwell2117 No it doesnt 😭 the iphone wasnt made until like 2007... and social media outside of myspace didnt really become popular until like 2015 or so. 2000s childhood was way better... even if there was this type of stuff it was on the mild side and didnt really affect people.

[@christopher-op5qo]

@@ghost247music8, your half right, the first generation of iPhone came out in 2007, however earlier phones had internet capability as well. MySpace came out in 2003, KZbin came out in 2005. Regardless, I still think it correlates. Because parents back then were allowing their kids to have phones at an early age in the early 2000’s , leading to parents later on thinking that it was ok. It just so happens that after 2007 smart phones became the most popular to have. Leading to there kids to eventually find KZbin videos, which is currently leading to more degradation of our current society and our kids. There’s a reason my parents never allowed me to a cell phone until I was 17.

[@jessicab6723]

12 year olds or 17 year olds? Cause this is about it getting younger.

[@christopher-op5qo]

@@jessicab6723, it correlates…the high schoolers who were doing this stuff back then passed it on to their kids. Therefore, it is happening at a younger age. Also younger kids look up to older teens, and desire to grow up faster. Have you never heard the saying: “The sins of the parent, get passed down to the child.”?

[@live.travel.]

even when I was a teenager they were getting rid of pre-teen stores. I'd shop at jacob jr, claires, la senza girl. they've gotten rid of justice recently, so it's all adult stores and a few young children places. I'm glad I was actually a kid and my parents never forced this nonsense of today. even as an adult I never wear make up, grateful for the clothing and shoes I have and wear them until the bitter end until they become a cleaning rag.

[@lsk12k]

i'm 14 years old, so very much on the cusp of all this. I myself go to sephora with my friends, and have a collection of my own. however i am still very much a child. i prioritize school over everything, and when i was in 6th and 7th grade, me and by friend used to sit out on my porch and belt the entire hamilton soundtrack while acting out scenes. my little sister goes to sephora and target with her friends, facetimes them to do skincare together, and brings all their skincare to sleepovers. it breaks by heart because i know she's going to regret it later.

[@makeitcount179]

Our culture is crashing from hyperchange.

[@crazychase98]

Good just speed it up until it hit rock bottom

[@tuckerbugeater]

@@crazychase98 it's turtles all the way down

[@salazar556]

It is sad to see how kids are today. When I was at that age, all I cared about were my video games.

[@dustytorchlight920]

I'm so grateful that my parents home schooled me (I'm 23) and my siblings and kept us off social media. All my friends who went to public schools dealt with massive amounts of social anxiety, many of them had regular mental breakdowns and they were always trying keep up with social norms. Meanwhile my siblings and I were building tree houses, digging holes, playing on rope swings and overall growing up in a much healthier environment. I'm truly sad that my friends never got to experience that

[@leannacaracappa454]

when i was 12 and 13 my best friend and i were still playing with barbie dolls i'm not even joking we literally made up elaborate stories with my barbie dolls that we would continue with each sleepover we even had specific barbies that we would play as for whatever specific storyline we were doing (i had so many barbie dolls as a kid i'm talking like 50+ plus multiple dreamhouses, cars, airplanes ect) i know most girls stop playing with their dolls before age 13 but for me and my best friend it was a blast and i'll never forget those memories.

[@xoxobabyimbackxoxo]

Same with my best friend and Bratz!

[@asiaellis2164]

Same with me and my little sister. We LOVED our Barbie’s 😂

[@leannacaracappa454]

im so glad other girls loved playing with dolls as much as i did !!

[@VerityJohnson-j2b]

Preschool teacher here. This starts before tweens and is really a childhood issue. Parents long ago had separate music for children. They would drive around playing Raffi and Fred Penner, going crazy with kid lyrics, because they knew that the radio was filled with inappropriate content. The children got to listen to appropriate content and their innocence was intact. Parenting is full of these kinds of issues and you have to decide what type of child you are raising. Will your child have the freedom to play, make mistakes, and just be a kid with their family as the audience or will they begin their public life at age 8 and be controlled by outside forces that are at best seeking to sell them something?

[@AnnaKincaid]

You are absolutely right. We do things to encourage our kids to be kids for as long as possible. My oldest is a pre teen and I am just flabbergasted seeing even as young as the 8-10year old kids that are no longer playing outside and doing make believe stuff. They would much rather watch tik toc, make dance videos, or other more teen activities. Totally night and day difference. Our kids are also homeschooled so we have the ability to have more control on what, when and who they are exposed to. We don’t completely shelter them but we do share things with them at what WE think is an appropriate time and age in their lives. We are only kids for such a short time and it’s such a magical time.

[@CD-hp6zy]

Protect your kids innocence. Once it gone you can never get it back. Kids need to enjoy their childhood. Childhood only lasts a small time while adulthood is until the day you die. No need to speed up adulthood.

[@jimmcneal5292]

The video is not about kids, it's about t*enagers

[@grqcies_wifey]

It is indeed..

[@TheUnitedSlatesOfAmerica]

😂

[@jesicamendoza3528]

I have a 10 and a 13 yr old and my girls still play with barbies, puzzles, color in coloring books, and on their Nintendo. They don't have cell phones. They know nothing about skin care or popular clothing brands or makeup. They go to an amazing school where the majority don't wear makeup. 2 of my daughters friend who are 10 wear some makeup, but it's very little and not even noticeable. I am so glad that they get to have an innocent childhood in today's crazy world. It all depends on the parents and the choices they make for their children.

[@Marissa2892]

As a 14 year old, that video with the 14 year old girl was hard to watch. I wash my face twice a day and that’s it. People around me in school or at the grocery store or the mall are all obsessing over skincare and anti aging products and it just makes me sad. Also, I do in fact listen to One Direction.

[@steven9red]

There is this a book called Do Hard Things. We're not actually helping children by stripping them of the maturity of work at an early age, which for some reason we have accepted as being good and "preserving youthful innocence". I affectionately refer to that as coddling.

[@ghost247music8]

You have to have a balance. I prefer the 80s parenting style (im 17): "if you mess up and do stupid stuff I'll beat your ass, but as long as you get your work done you can do whatever you want within reason and I'm not going to worry or be overly concerned" this is my future parenting philosophy in a nutshell

[@DannyDevitoOffical-TrustMeBro]

@@ghost247music8 that’s how my parents did it, and all four of us kids are functioning, responsible people. It teaches responsibility early; you get actual rewards for doing as you’re supposed to, until eventually you do it just because it’s the right thing to do. It’s not like getting money or candy for a prize for doing basic chores, it teaches that life is just easier for you if you do what’s right.

[@randommam58]

Came here to say similar. I think preserving innocence and preparing kids to face the reality of responsibility go hand in hand. I think putting off adulthood for so long is detrimental when it comes to life skills and formation.

[@josh_final]

I know that book. By Alex and Brett Harris.

[@kristinewberg7656]

I think the way my parents did it was pretty good, though I am probably biased. We had chores and responsibilities that increased as we got older that taught us how to do things we didn't want to, contribute to those around you, and what happens when you don't live up to your responsibilities. But they didn't let us dress like adults, consume any type of mature media, and still parented us in our teens.

[@timgomolka644]

This has been happening for a while and it’s down to the parents who encourage it. Twenty years ago, I was working in a first school (5-9 year olds). During a treat day, where they could bring in a toy/game to play with in the afternoon a couple of 7 year old girls brought in makeup sets.

[@zreads9625]

As an older teen myself I've noticed so many kids that are between 12-14 that have social media and are completely obsessed with going viral and seeming older

[@Lyla5656]

I agree completely, I’m 16 and work at a summer camp. One of my girls (10) is obsessed with makeup and hair and looking pretty, she talks about a KZbin channel and her follower count and her want to be famous. She also tells me about how she only likes guys because they are hot and have abs. All at 10 years old, it’s sad to see honestly

[@Kaykayowkapow]

As a 14 year old I’ve always had acne. I remember in kindergarten I would always get pimples on my chin. But these girl have perfect young skin. My mom always tells me what I’m too young for and too old for but these parents they buy into it. I also listen to Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina along with other but I know the difference. They are adults, I am a minor I will never imitate

[@amelialang1662]

i love your take because there is a difference between watching and listening to these things for entertainment and actually incorporating them into your lifestyle

[@Short__editss]

I am 12 years old and i definitely agree i always see girls in school wearing crop tops and jean shorts that are far to short to be called shorts i get wanting to put a little makeup on like concealer and mascara but i dont understand why ppl show up to school in a full face it makes no sense!! I do see that we need to stop with this as gen Z is adulting they need to teach there kids that while makeup and doing hair is fun you still gotta save room for friends and playing with toys

[@AlbaZayas-p6y]

Dude when I was ten I was in Claire’s looking at cat ear headbands not in a Sephora smh 🤦‍♀️

[@canyouseethroughmytears]

Same. 😂

[@midnight_x_edits]

Same i was obsessed with like the lip gloss cell phones they sold at claires it was my favorite thing ever i wasnt even aware of what retinol was

[@kirayoungblood]

Claire’s girl clip on earrings and the cheap makeup

[@Cupcake_Royale]

lmao, I still go to Claire's to this day.

[@KeiraHunt]

Same it was the clip on earrings for me though 😂😂😂

[@megsley]

keep your kids off social media, and stop buying your kids adult style clothing and other products - problem solved.

[@catherinewardwell2117]

Boom!!

[@rebeccawayne1758]

I knew someone who said her son would only wear baggy pants or basketball shorts at 10 and couldn't get him to wear anything else. I told her, he can only wear what you buy him. He's 10! If you don't want him wearing something, stop buying it. He won't go to school naked....I promise. She thought I was crazy

[@makaelapostolese3651]

I am a 15 year old girl and I completely agree. I see other girls my age and younger and get confused as to how their parents allow this. My parent did not let me get social media until I was 14 1/2. I hate the sex and drugs part of teen society as well. I have almost no friends because of the vaping, the sex, and the way people push trends and other things on me when I make it very clear I am not interested. I am also judged in my high school for not wearing crop tops and other super reveling cloths. I could go on and on about things I am judged for like posting family on social media instead of myself and trends. This is defiantly a problem. Thank you so much for bringing more awareness to this problem.

[@JessicaLee.3]

I'm Gen X raising 3 Gen Alpha (8, 9, & 12) and they have no concept of the nonsense that most kids their age are subjected to. We homeschool and put an emphasis on learning real skills in a fun way. We want our kids to actually be kids and not miniature grown ups. They have play dates doing age appropriate activities with loads of other homeschooled kids in our area.

[@raybod1775]

Your giving your kids the best possible future as adults.

[@PianoHits]

To be fair, as a millennial, i think previous generations are accountable for why Gen Alpha are influenced this way. Look how the Kardashians ruled social media because of other gens and basically showed how online capitalism self branding works and here we are now in an age where its a replicable model. Age restriction on some apps has been left overdue. Despite the downfall in narccistic fame i think there is a symptom of a wider issue for power among masses now, it's a pandora's box.