I was going to do my best to ensure that this wasn't going to be a sort of "these kids these days" rant that ends up making me sound like that one elderly conservative character in Agatha Christie books, but oops, too late.
I went to see my friends a few weeks ago and I was shocked over how mature the eleven-year-old was (for the sake of convenience and protecting her privacy, I'm calling her Jane). She was messaging her friends and she let me sort of message them pretending to be her for a bit and oh my gosh. They were swearing as much as people at high school do, and they were asking each other if they had ever been kissed. I was shocked into shame by one of the replies, "Yeah, like three guys at camp and I didn't even like them that much :/ " People, is this really happening? They're eleven. I was playing with dolls and I still thought boys were gross when I was eleven. Is it because of today's environment? The increasing barrage of advertisements and the sexualization of ever-younger girls? I couldn't believe it, I really could not. I can talk to Jane like she's sixteen, no problem, and she understands innuendos that go right over my head. I saddens me to see seven-year-olds with iPhones and Ugg boots shopping around the mall in a little gaggle of their friends. Maybe one day, kids won't be really considered kids anymore, and being "childish" will be a thing of the past, or something you grow out of when you're three as opposed to seven.
This is too true kids in todays society are basically little adults. The do whatever they want and I think it is because their parents give them whatever they want bacause they don't want to deal with the child when it has a tantrum! Of course there are still some parents who had hard and fast rules but others are pretty lax
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on how kids are acting much older than their age. My sister has friends who have been dating and understand far more references than me. However, many of them act as though they are younger than they are, which is quite confusing. I think that you are correct in suggesting that the reason for these is the growing commercialization of young kids.
ReplyDeleteIt is totally unreal how the vast majority of young kids these days act... I agree. I know a 2 year old who has all the high scores on Angry Birds. Don't get me wrong, he's a smart kid, but he can navigate an iPad better than I can. At first I thought it was funny, and then I began to think about how sad this is, and how much things have changed. I think technology is largely a part of this major change that's taken place, as is an increasing amount of pressure and ever-higher expectations. In many ways, electronic and battery powered toys of today do a lot of acting for the child... The child no longer has to use their imagination and creativity to make up sequences and scenarios with their toys, as it's already all being done for them. In this way, I think a lot of the value of play is being lost.
ReplyDeleteAnd if we are losing the value of play, are we losing imagination...and if that happens what else do we risk losing?
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