Is this really what primary school kids are like?

Unfortunately it does happen, but is far from universal.

DD1 just turned 8 too. The only makeup she has is one of those water-based kids' play sets with a battery-powered unicorn dryer for the nails. She messaged her Y7 friend (using my phone, hence I can read everything) to say that she'd 'tried makeup', and the Y7 friend (a 'young' 11) was horrified, thinking it was proper stuff. The Y7 friend isn't allowed it. Apart from her uniform, I don't think my DD owns any clothing that didn't come from a charity shop or Vinted, and she's never even asked why.

That said, DD does have friends with Versace coats, Ugg boots and their own iPads, and at the PTA disco there are usually a couple of classmates who come in dressed and made up like tarts.

I teach year 4 so 8/9 year olds. Obviously I know I’m seeing a snapshot in my school/my local area but I’d say each year you have about five or six girls (out of fifteen or so in each class), who are like this. Obsessed with makeup, Stanley cups etc etc, and have expensive stuff. But that leaves nine or ten who aren’t. So it is happening, these girls are out there, but not all of them are like that!

I know a lot of 8 year olds and none of them are like this at all. Perhaps it’s just where we live or some other demographic but all the 8 year olds I know are still very much children. Still asking for toys for Christmas, definitely not interested in anything from the Debenhams make up counters!

Are you sure my child is white? I haven't disclosed my child's ethnicity. You are assuming she is.
Whatever, children don't need make up and stanley cups and expensive skin care like facial scrubs that influencers are trying to push on to children is my point. I'm not talking about cocoa butter and moisturisers.

My DD (7) and her friends all love make up. It’s weird as I don’t wear it at all. She is allowed to wear it for the occasional party but its hardly a professional look - it’s applied in a similar way to face paints.

Parties here are still things like clip n climb and now sleepovers.

There is a friend who has everything ‘fashionable’ who I think influences my DD. Suddenly she wants Uggs which I also don’t wear and I know that’s come directly from her friend (she’s not having them).

My 13yo likes clothes, hair, and makeup but it’s more Primark and Superdrug. I’m sure they’re all different (and maybe things have changed in 5 years) but no, I don’t think all 8 year olds are like that.

It wasn’t quite true for my daughter at 8 but it definitely was for some of her peers. I’d say she’s more like that now at 11. In some ways she like a mini teenager but in others she’s still very much a child, eg how much she loves her soft toys and still likes cuddles with me.

You didn’t need to. Your child is obviously white.

My black daughter has used cocoa body on her face and body since birth. Soap and water would be incredibly drying.

Ok so what skincare do childen need? I didn't feel the need to disclose my child's ethnicity.

Yeah….my eldest DD is 10, and so many of the girls at her school are like mini teenagers already.
My DD appears to be clinging to her childhood for a bit longer though. She’s asked a few times about makeup and skincare from Sephora and Ulta, but has been receptive to my reasons for saying no - particularly with the skincare. I took her into my bathroom and showed her some of my products and explained what the active ingredients do - and that’s not something her delicate skin barrier needs right now. She needs to be protecting her skin barrier, so we met in the middle and I got her a very gentle cleanser and a moisturiser with SPF but no active ingredients.

Not around here, no. Although in fairness DD might if I let her. She has asked for skincare and makeup but other than occasionally letting her experiment with eyeshadow its been a firm no from me. I've explained that she doesn't need it and skincare wise it could actually cause permanent damage to her skin and she's accepted it. There is 1 maybe 2 like that in DD's year that I know of but otherwise no - not DD nor any of her friends.

My daughter is 12, year 8 at secondary and has just started to have an interest in makeup (lipglosses mainly!) and skincare bits now, definitely not at 8. I won’t get her uggs until her feet have stopped growing! She still likes some “younger” things as well. I would find it sad if that’s all they were into so young

Nope- my daughter is 8 and loves make up and Stanley- and she isn’t getting either branded: a primark cup or entertainer make
up- sure. Her last bday party was a craft and pamper party but it was all quite childish and pretend. I think it’s sad to give so much to such young children

My 10 year old god daughter is nothing like this
thankfully. But then shes not allowed a mobile, TikTok etc. her Xmas list has a stable set
to build with some horses and lots of Lego.

I’ve seen this in my daughter’s school starting even in her class (she is only year 2!) and I’d say it’s the same kids who went mad for labubu’s i.e allowed on tik tok OR have older sisters in year 6

Edit: I’ve known some girls in the year above her who had hot tub and mocktail birthday parties in the summer. Photos uploaded of them all posing in the hot tub in their bikinis and mocktails. Just icky

Well no, your last sentence is incorrect. For white children perhaps, but you didnt say that.

My daughter would love this for her birthday but I’m trying to hold off as much as possible, as she’s still too young.

I let her play around with make up at home but don’t let her wear it out (bar a little bit of shimmery lip gloss for special occasions Eg a party etc). I certainly don’t buy her the expensive branded make up, though, she gets Primark and the like lol.

Shes also into Sephora so I’ve ordered her some Christmas bath products (bath bombs and shower gel etc) so she’s still getting the stuff but in a more age appropriate way. She’s actually becoming a bit of a shower dodger (age 10) so maybe this might encourage her to want to wash again.

This is pretty standard for a LOT of 8 year old girls I think. The deciding factor is whether or not they have a phone and relatively free access to the internet. Once they have that, this is exactly where they end up super quickly. Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube - all full of GRWM and unboxing vids etc. It’s all skincare routines and Starbucks, Stanley cups and Lululemon crossbody bags, WhiteFox hoodies, trips to Space NK etc.

My daughter is 9 and she is still into Lego, teddies, craft etc and so is her friends but I think they are kids in her class moving in that direction. I think a lot of it is down to tick tok and Instagram, older siblings etc.

I'd say unusual for age 8. That's more common once they're at secondary, but even then there are girls who won't be exposed to beauty influencers.

It's a good indicator of who has access to TikTok, I'd say.

I think that from 8yrs upwards, kids can be very polarised in their maturity. Some will still be playing with toys others will be keen to be mini teens. It’s usually linked to social media use or older siblings.

We had a Y7 disco at school last week - the array of outfits was mind-boggling - from taffeta party dresses to trainers and bodycon. It was like the kids were headed to completely disparate activities! It really reflected how each friendship group was at a different stage of maturity, despite being in the same year group.

I think that's quite unusual for an 8 year old, even in this modern tiktok obsessed world! Maybe she has older siblings? I had two older sisters and they used to do my hair and makeup for parties or just for fun and do homemade face packs and stuff.

Not normal in my area. Urban but very middle class, professional parents, broadly quite anti phones/social media etc. I would be judged hard by school parents if I hosted that kind of party and I expect a lot would decline to send their children. As would I if my daughter was invited to that kind of party in year 3.

I hate to say it but round here it would be seen as really chavvy.

A friend's child is 8 and had little high heels on to go to the school disco

It's all just a bit sad I find

Yes! My son also moans about them in school because if you are a drinks bottle monitor they don't stay in the drinks box so you have to go back to collect them and carry them out separately (at their school at lunchtime the children are not allowed back in the classrooms so drinks need to go onto the playground).