Whatever Happened To Children Being Children
... how many times I have been disturbed by the things children today say or do. I see kids wearing skintight or sheer clothes, tube tops, micro skirts, and ultra-high heels, as if in mimicry of models in magazines. Clothing stores like Abercrombie and Fitch and the Limited Too sell such merchandise as thongs and bikinis for children. Such stores seem to encourage children to wear less actual clothes and opt instead for what seems like mere fabric swatches that show more skin. Some girls as young as seven would more than willingly trade in their most precious toys for make-up, nail polish, and designer perfumes, all of which would make them cool and sophisticated. Little boys insist on having the biggest action figures, the latest remote-controlled toy cars, the most advanced game consoles, and the most expensive sports equipment because anything less would be unacceptable. Children worship celebrities and athletes because they are wealthy and famous. They look up to Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jennifer Lopez, who all dress provocatively. They listen to profane lyrics by rappers like Eminem and rockers like Marilyn Manson. They have easy access to risqué music videos and violent cartoons. They play video games that are filled with blood and gore. All of the things to which children are exposed affect them in terms of morals and attitudes. Very young children especially absorb what they see and hear like sponges, and very few of them are able to distinguish between right and wrong. They are likely to emulate what they observe. In the past few years, they have become more materialistic, dishonest, insolent, cynical, and apathetic. The more urgent danger comes when children are repeatedly exposed to something because as something seems more socially acceptable, the greater the tendency of children to deem it normal. This is part of the reason why we have seen a rise in the number of children breaking the law in the past few years. Their violations have ranged from the most minor ones to the most heinous of crimes. Some children with unrestricted access to very dangerous weapons have used them to severely injure others and, in some instances, to kill. Children have also been directly taught negative values such as hate and vengeance. These have been especially widespread since September Eleventh; I have heard of a lot of children since then blatantly expressing their prejudice against people different from them because they were told to believe so. Who exactly has control over the shaping of children in our society? We could easily say media and big business. The corporate world is imposing interests, choices, and values on children. Children do not know how to resist advertisements; they demand for a particular type of food, toy, or brand even though there are less expensive and more practical alternatives. Advertisers cleverly make children believe that the product they are selling will bring happiness and that using some other brand makes one inferior. Children are easily persuaded that they need the right clothes, toys, snacks, and drinks. Industry is not allowing children t...