With the rise of social media apps such as Tik Tok, younger populations are easily influenced by influencers who are ten to twenty years older than them. Due to this, pre-teens are getting involved with makeup, skin care,and viral obsessions much earlier than any other generation. Despite there being electronic distractions for most Gen Z children, it was less of a distraction to older generations’ early childhood life. Nowadays eight-year-olds are on social media and have their own cell phones. This sets them up for a lifetime of distraction and electronic driven tasks.
Pre-teens all over the world are beginning their makeup journey at a mere age of ten years old. They shop for the “trendy” makeup items that their favorite twenty year old influencers use. Coincidentally many children are buying and using retinol. Retinol is an anti-aging serum that is recommended for adults in their twenties. If used any earlier it is seen to burn and damage childrens skin. These trend obsessed pre-teens look besides that and buy it because it is what their favorite influencers use. For many teenagers and adults this issue has gotten worse in the past few months. They are buying and selling out products that adults use on a regular basis, all while their parents stand by and let them do whatever they want if it makes them happy.
In comparison to the younger generation, older generations’ childhood consisted of board games, toys, playing outside, and cooking. The most nostalgic memories in their lives consisted of playing capture flag, biking, american girls dolls and barbie. Whereas kids these days are skipping the childhood days and going straight to electronics and makeup. Young children wanting non-age appropriate gifts and clothing is shown to be highly affected by influencers. These influences on the younger generation are causing controversy among adults and older ones. Some adults argue how the “trending” items are too expensive for them to afford to give to their growing children. On social media pre-teens broadcast the new items they have and the vacations they go on. Here is where most children feel left out. When watching their favorite tik tok star talk about their stay at a 5-star hotel in Fiji children might wonder why they don’t get to experience that. These children put a lot of pressure on their parents. Growing up with social media can push pre-teens into a life of constant comparison and unhealthy competition.
Some recent shoppers have been raising their voices on young kids under twelve years of age who are flooding the stores such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty. Not only are they purchasing makeup products that are not suitable for them, employees are complaining about the rudeness of these children. On TikTok and Instagram, hashtags like #Sephora kids, #Sephora reveal the conflict in the situation.
As kids, current teenagers were always taught to be polite and respectful. In kindergarten they were taught to say please and thank you, be polite to elders and especially those who are doing them a service. The recent children who have been shopping in Sephora, target, lululemon, etc. Have been intentionally rude to employees if they don’t have an item they want in stock. Horror stories from employees at these locations have been circulating around tiktok where many other people share that the same thing has happened to them. This new generation has grown up on iPads and have not correctly been taught public manners. This issue leads to how electronically driven these children are. Children nowadays are not fully present in conversations, instead they are thinking about the last video they saw on tiktok or the last instagram post they saw of their friend. Although cellphones are good for communication, and contacting parents. Social media has not been a good influence on pre-teens self esteem. They constantly compare themselves to influencers who look “perfect”, little do they know that influencer is photoshopped and has had multiple rounds of plastic surgery. These middle school girls are trying everything they can to look picture perfect like these influencers. However on the way they are ruining their skin and body health.
In total, kids these days are growing up fast and acting older than they really are. Pre-teens do not know how to be polite in public and how to show manners especially to those who have done them an act of service. They take after entitled influencers and push pressure onto their parents who just want to make their kid happy. Nevertheless social media is not a good influence on young children, and they should spend less time on their phones and more time playing outside.
