AIBU that my child is not the unusual one !

[Lostmymarbles25]

group mum chat today and we were discussing the birthday parties coming up and Christmas ( they do a class secret Santa ) quite a few were suggesting the girls wanted vouchers for Sephora etc for some face cream routine stuff and some kind of elephant cream 😅 they have just gone in to year 5 so mainly 9 approaching 10.
I was explaining that for DD that she would be happy with any sort of squishy / anime surprise bags / fidget toys / rocks. This was described as unusual ?
I don’t think it’s that unusual - she would not know what Sephora is or the difference in face creams !
will she start to fall behind in what her peers are growing in to ? If I suggested face cream for Christmas she would probably cry 😂😂😂
she is not in to her dolls as much anymore but more like Sanrio character / anime figures / slime / fidgets / art sets / rocks / mini brands / mini verse etc
I don’t remember it being this unusual at this age.

It is becoming more common, and that is partly down to things like TikTok.

@KakiFruit I never said I'd give a mac one, I was asking what's wrong with a mini one that's cheaper if someone's dc want a nice brand.

I don't think you can buy a £1 Rimmel eyeshadow...but I don't think my dc are suffering if they get Rimmel in their stocking.

Bloody hell times have changed, I don’t think I had any conception of skincare until I was about 14 (early 00’s) and even then it was just napalming my skin with that blue paint-stripper like clearasil!

An 11 year old who has started puberty, or possibly if a 10 year old has, would be wise to start looking after their skin, but it doesn't have to be really expensive stuff and I'd just buy it as routine stuff not gifts.

DD wasn’t interested in any skincare until 11ish and there is no way I would allow drunk elephant like many of her peers, it’s far too strong for young skin.

An 11 year old who has started puberty, or possibly if a 10 year old has, would be wise to start looking after their skin, but it doesn't have to be really expensive stuff and I'd just buy it as routine stuff not gifts.

I was taught to look after my skin from a young age, not 10 I might add. I didn't need retinols & AHAs etc though.

Drunk Elephant is a premium skincare brand aimed at adults, not tweens - it's very expensive, and not meant for tweens or even teens.

It's called Drunk Elephant because its early products included marula fruit oil, and when elephants eat too much marula they apparently give the impression of being drunk.

I don’t have a 9 year old, I have teens who are not allowed Tik Tok because of the influence I’ve seen it has on friends children.

Forgot to say, DD 11 has an iPad but has restricted content on YouTube and no TikTok or any sort of social media, or WhatsApp. She is one of only 5 in her Y6 class (30 kids) that don’t have a mobile phone. (I only know this because their teacher makes them all put their phones in a box at the start of the day, and only 5 kids didn’t have one to put in the box!)

I definitely still wanted toys when I was year 5, so did my DCs.

But things have changed. For example, for my 6th birthday I got a sling to carry my dolly in, dolls highchair and assorted paraphernalia for dolls.
My niece has just turned 6, she's already "outgrown" all of that stuff.

My older niece is year 6. The deciding factor for which secondary school she goes to is which one allows make-up.

I think it's a real shame that they grow up so fast.

I think it varies wildly and really is dependent on the cohort. My eldest was in a class where they were into the creams, mini fridges in the equivalent of year 5. My youngest are still into the Pokémon, anime etc. It really does vary school to school - even class to class!

This is worth a read

https://www.reddit.com/r/SephoraWorkers/comments/14kn6jy/ive_had_it_with_kids_and_drunk_elephant_its_about/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1

I’m honestly not surprised that your child is the odd one out with this, it does seem a bit crazy but it is the norm now as a lot of young girls watch certain Youtubers and tiktokkers where every other video is a “get ready with me” or a “do my skincare with me” and Q&A’s as well as all of the adverts they are doing! I have a younger cousin who’s 10 and she’s already been putting her Christmas requests in, this year she’s sent me a screenshot of the Urban Decay eyeshadow pallet she wants (£49) and a make up powder (£37)! Best part of £100 for 2 items that would fit in one hand! But it’s what she’s interested in and it’s what most girls that age seem to be interested in now, they watch all of these tiktoks and youtube “get ready with me” videos where they say what products they are using and so they then want those products.

My 13 y/o is always on Tiktok and YouTube and has zero interest in skincare. Her friends are the same. I don't know if she knows what Sephora is.

Neither of mine wanted face cream at 9/10!

Lego, art supplies, computer game was more their thing

You are not being unreasonable in the slightest. My 27 year old would much prefer some of the things you've listed for your daughter, over expensive skincare, too!

There’s both types of children- some love make up and skincare at that age, some love craft sets and squishmallows. I think the parents of each don’t believe the others exist!!

Oh and dsd wants a jellytots toy thing and she's an adult!

Girls don't want face cream unless they have been brainwashed. Why would they? Its a completely non functional product designed only to make women give money to rich business men in the pursuit of male approval. Not something that comes naturally to anyone unless they are told over and over and over and over and over again that this is what they should want, for so long, by so many people, that they start to believe it, no matter how untrue it is

I've just given my 9yo daughter some skincare as she was worried about her blackheads and spots. However, she has no idea what they are, what the brands are etc, she has to keep asking what goes on when, what she washes off etc. And that's only 3 products 🤣

I think your daughter is the more usual 9yo than the others.

My 17 year old has started to take tiny toys to school to amuse her friends.. things from the animal box we have had since she was a toddler. I am glad we still have these things around!

My 10 yr old would be into both, she loves skincare, she doesn’t have tik tok so it’s not down to that. It’s probably just because I’m into skincare and whenever we are in the airport/city etc we like to have a browse. I only ever get her the “simple” brand or other very easy on the skin brands.

Some parents are in a terrible hurry for their children to grow up. They think it is a sign of maturity or intelligence.

Bloody hell, just had to Google Drunk Elephant - the prices! Wouldn't spend that on myself never mind a 10 year old 😱Your daughter sounds far more normal.

Your daughter is typical for her age. Hell my 16 year old has just started to take a bit of an interest in skincare.

Some kids grow up far too fast and it's sad. I'm proud mine was a tomboy who cba with make up. Girls have this pressure their whole lives....the longer the parents don't indulge it the better.