Emily Andre has revealed the parenting rule she follows to hopefully prevent her daughter from becoming appearance-obsessed.
The NHS doctor, 36, married Mysterious Girl hitmaker Peter Andre, 52, in 2015, and they share Amelia, 11, Theo, nine, and baby Arabella.
Peter, of course, is also a dad to budding musician Junior, 20, and influencer Princess, 18, from his marriage to Katie Price, 47.
Emily is an open book when it comes to parenting, often sharing anecdotes online, and now she’s revealed that she makes a conscious effort to avoid complimenting Amelia’s looks.
Instead, she pays her non-appearance-focused compliments about her personality and skills.
Speaking on the True Reflections with Gia Mills podcast this week, Emily said she is committed to not making everything ‘all about how you look’, despite appearance-based praise often being second nature to parents.
‘What I try and do with the kids, which I’m sure is what all parents do, is I really try and focus on their strengths, the things that they’re good at, and really build that up,’ she began.
‘I try not to focus that much on appearance. I mean, that sounds really odd. When you go to compliment someone, quite often, the first thing that comes out is, “I really love your hair,” or “You look really beautiful.” I think especially with girls.’
Emily added that she will still give her kids compliments, for example, telling her son that he is ‘handsome’.
‘But I really try and focus a lot more on their attributes and the things that they are good at,’ she explained. ‘Just to make it not all about how you look. I know that sounds strange.’
Emily proceeded to say she has also enforced rules about Millie wearing makeup.
Admitting she’s ‘probably a little bit stricter than some of her friends’ parents’, she insisted there is ‘no right or wrong’ approach to the situation.
‘I think I’m much more on the end of, like, she’s not allowed to really wear makeup. She has a bit of clear mascara, a bit of clear eyebrow gel, a bit of lip gloss, but that’s about as far as I’ll let her go at the moment.’
She added that her daughter has ‘the most perfect skin’, which she seems keen for her to look after, rather than cover up.
What’s more, Emily believes parenthood is hard to navigate when children are constantly receiving mixed messages about beauty.
Do you agree that an 11-year-old shouldn't be allowed to wear makeup?
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Yes, they should have to wait until they're older
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No, they should be allowed sometimes
Millie will watch Emily put on her own makeup to go to work, which she acknowledges can be conflicting when she’s then telling her she doesn’t need it.
‘I think the balance is OK with her at the moment,’ she concluded, noting that things will inevitably change as her daughter gets older.
‘But I think it’s about a gradual transition from being a child to being an adult, and it’s just how you manage those years when they’re in between the two.’
This is all in stark contrast to the upbringing of Princess, who was raised by ex-glamour model mum Katie and who has worn makeup for years.
In the past, the teen, who starred in her own ITV reality show last year, Princess’s makeup-wearing has sparked huge debates, with reports claiming the estranged parents were ‘at war’ over the then-eight-year-old wearing a full face of products.
When she was just two, Peter also said he was ‘disgusted’ after she was posted on Facebook wearing false eyelashes.
However, Katie has held her hands up. Despite her defiance at the time, she went on to tell the Loose Women in 2016 that, after sharing pics of her daughter fully made up, she was ‘in the wrong’.
‘Princess sees how I pose. She thinks it’s natural,’ Katie said.
‘These pictures were taken when we did panto at Christmas, and she just saw her mum doing it. I wouldn’t let her go to the shops like that.
‘To me, that’s innocent because she’s copying her mum. But after I posted it, people were saying to me, “Oh my god, Katie, think about paedophiles.” And I thought, “Oh yeah, you’re right.” When you say it, you can see it.’
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