Emily Andre, wife of Peter Andre, has shared that she deliberately doesn’t praise her 11-year-old daughter’s appearance, hoping to discourage her from focusing too much on how she looks.
The 36-year-old NHS doctor explained she avoids complimenting her daughter Millie’s looks, choosing instead to praise her skills and character.
Emily recently shared on the True Reflections with Gia Mills podcast that it feels strange to deflect compliments, something many parents experience. However, she’s committed to not focusing on appearance and making it the center of everything.
Like all parents, I really focus on my kids’ strengths and try to help them develop those talents. I want to build them up by encouraging what they’re already good at.
I don’t usually focus too much on how people look. It’s funny, because when you want to say something nice to someone, you often mention their appearance first – like their hair or how beautiful they are. I think this is especially true when talking to women.
She also makes sure to compliment how people look, telling her son things like, ‘You look really handsome today.’
I make a real effort to concentrate on people’s good qualities and strengths, rather than their appearance. I realize it might sound a little odd, but I want to shift the focus away from looks.
Emily and her husband, 52-year-old Peter, a former pop star, have three children together: Millie, Theo, who is nine, and one-year-old Arabella. They married in 2015.
She’s also a stepmother to Junior, age 20, and Princess, 18, whose mother is Katie Price, a 47-year-old former model.
Oh my gosh, Princess is amazing! I’ve been following her forever, and it’s incredible how she’s become such a huge beauty guru. Can you believe she was only sixteen when she became the face of Superdrug’s Studio London line? Seriously, sixteen! It’s so inspiring to see her succeed like that, she’s a total icon!
The teen influencer, with over two million followers on social media, just made a deal with the popular retail store to help create and promote new products.
When Princess was eight years old, her mother caused a public stir by putting a lot of makeup on her daughter’s face.
Katie later admitted she was ‘in the wrong’ and that Peter also had strong views on the photos.
Emily also shared that she has firm rules about how much makeup her daughter, Millie, is allowed to wear. She admitted she might be a bit more strict than some other parents, but emphasized that everyone is simply doing what they think is best for their child.
I’m pretty strict about my daughter not wearing makeup right now. She can use a little clear mascara, eyebrow gel, and lip gloss, but that’s it for the time being.
She explained that she doesn’t allow her daughter to wear makeup. She believes her daughter naturally has flawless skin and prefers to keep it that way.
The doctor and popular author explained that it’s tough for parents because kids get conflicting ideas about what’s considered beautiful.
Oh my gosh, she gets it! She actually told me how she models everything herself – like, she wears makeup sometimes for work, and my girl sees that, but then she tries to explain that you’re already beautiful, you really don’t need it! It’s just… she said it’s so hard to say it the right way, but honestly, hearing her say that… it’s everything. She just understands the struggle, you know? It’s not about shaming makeup, it’s about realizing you’re perfect just as you are. I’m obsessed with how real she is!
I see a lot of my friends wearing makeup, and I guess I don’t want to feel like I’m missing out, so that’s a big part of it. Right now, she seems happy with just lip gloss and a little eyebrow gel, and that feels like a good balance for her.
Honestly, watching her grow up is amazing, but it’s also a little scary! I keep thinking about how things will change as she gets older, and it’s not like a sudden switch, you know? It’s more like this slow shift from her being a little kid to a grown-up, and it’s all about how we navigate those in-between years. I just want to make sure we handle it all okay, those tricky times when she’s not quite one thing or the other.
Emily cautioned that skincare products made for adults can be harmful to young girls. She shared that her daughter, Millie, recently had a bad reaction to a sheet mask she received in a party favor bag.
Emily remembered that Millie recently tried a sheet face mask. Millie told her, ‘Mom, it really hurt,’ but Emily hadn’t thought much about it at the time.
Oh gosh, it was awful. She got this temporary tattoo, and it genuinely hurt her skin – like, a real reaction. She had to peel it off immediately. I knew instantly what was happening, and I felt terrible for her! It turned out she’d gotten it in a party bag, can you believe it? And honestly, looking back, it was probably one of those adult-themed ones… so embarrassing for her, but I was so worried!
She cautioned that pricey skincare products aimed at pre-teens include ingredients that aren’t suitable for developing skin.
As a long-time skincare enthusiast, I’ve learned they pack these products with so much more than just basic stuff. We’re talking about ingredients designed to fight wrinkles, clear up acne, and even fade dark spots – really targeting specific skin concerns!
Those types of treatments are best for mature skin – people who are starting to show signs of aging like wrinkles or sunspots. They’re definitely not suitable for young skin, like that of a ten or eleven-year-old.
Emily met Peter in 2010 when her father, Dr. Ruaraidh MacDonagh, a urologist, performed surgery on him for kidney stones. They’ve decided to not allow their children to use social media until age 16.
Emily explained she’s trying to wait until Millie turns sixteen before letting her do something. Millie responded that she’s willing to try and wait as well.
Emily mentioned her daughter isn’t allowed to use WhatsApp. While she considers herself fairly strict, the school has actually banned smartphones for students in her daughter’s year – though she believes older students have more freedom with their phones.
She explained that the school’s rule is a relief, as it means none of her friends are using phones during school hours.
‘I know it’s coming, but she’s never actually asked me: can I have Snapchat or can I have TikTok or whatever? I haven’t had to have that conversation with her,’ Emily added.
Emily expressed concern that social media could negatively impact the mental well-being of young people.
It’s clear there’s a definite effect, absolutely. I’ve witnessed this impact on adults through my work.
‘And there’s no doubt, we know, that there’s an impact on teens as well.
Social media presents a strange situation: if you choose not to use it and are the only one in your group doing so, could that be considered a form of bullying?
Is being exposed to all that negativity – much of which is subtle – actually worse than being directly involved? It’s a tough question to answer.
There isn’t one single ‘right’ way to parent. Every parent is just doing their best, and I would never judge another parent’s choices.
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2026-01-16 19:23