Recently, there has been talk circulating online about children and the way they seem to be losing their childhood. With the idea that 2026 is the new 2016, students in high school and college have started reminiscing about the things they loved as kids–from classic TV shows at the same time every night, to questionable outfit choices picked for school.

The kids growing up now, however, seem to be missing out on the very important transition stage that was once typical. Now, kids seem to dress the exact same as everyone else their age, and it’s often said that they appear to be in their 20s, no matter how young they are.

A big part of this has to do with social media, but there are other factors like parenting, bullying, and beauty standards. With access to social media at such a young age, kids are exposed to problems and hard situations that current adults didn’t have access to until well into their teenage years. This access to social media encourages young kids to think like adults, despite having no need to face such intense topics.

With social media creating pressure to look and act a certain way, kids have started trading their experimental hobbies or childhood activities for things like clothing, makeup, and aesthetics. While the stereotypical gift for a preteen girl 5-10 years ago would have been a Barbie or American Girl doll, now it’s likely a Sephora or Lululemon gift card.

It’s true that social media has an influence on what younger kids ask for, but the permanency of the effects may vary. With online trends constantly changing, it is likely that current preteens will eventually branch out of current standards, it just may come later in life.