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Earl Aagaard’s opinions about everything that interests him. Og also enjoys gardening, travel, reading, woodbutchery, and lots of other stuff.

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LATEST SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE…..

“10 is the new 15” is the headline.

...child development experts say that physical and behavioral changes that would have been typical of teenagers decades ago are now common among “tweens” - kids ages 8 to 12.

I can believe the behavioral changes, but I need to see actual data for the physical - it reads a bit like an attempt by the adults to avoid responsibility for depriving their kids of their childhood.

Some of them are going on “dates” and talking on their own cell phones. They listen to sexually charged pop music, play mature-rated video games and spend time gossiping on MySpace. And more girls are wearing makeup and clothing that some consider beyond their years.

“...going on ‘dates’ and talking on their own cell phones.” Who’s responsible for THAT? To say nothing of the music they’re allowed to listen to, video games that are bought for them, or allowed in the house, clothes they wear, etc. There appears to be nothing these poor parents can do - their kids are just running roughshod over them! Sheeesh!

To be fair, our culture is fully engaged in subverting childhood these days.

...technology and consumerism have accelerated the pace of life, giving kids easy access to influences that may or may not be parent-approved. Sex, violence and foul language that used to be relegated to late-night viewing and R-rated movies are expected fixtures in everyday TV.

It’s MUCH harder to shield your child (and yourself) than it used to be. When I was growing up, the scatalogical language was reserved for the locker room, the ball field, or when out running around with the guys. We all knew how to shut it off when with girls, parents, or any other authority figure.

And sometimes, he says, parents end up encouraging the behavior by failing to set limits - in essence, handing over power to their kids….

Natalie Wickstrom, a 10-year-old in suburban Atlanta, says girls her age sometimes wear clothes that are “a little inappropriate.”

Girls in her class also talk about not only liking but “having relationships” with boys.

“There’s no rules, no limitations to what they can do,” says Natalie, who’s also in fifth grade.

Her mom, Billie Wickstrom, says the teen-like behavior of her daughter’s peers, influences her daughter - as does parents’ willingness to allow it.

“Some parents make it hard on those of us who are trying to hold their kids back a bit,” she says.

Gee, ya think?

So where is all this coming from? Certainly, industry is taking advantage of the situation….

Advertisers have found that, increasingly, children and teens are influencing the buying decisions in their households - from cars to computers and family vacations. According to 360 Youth, an umbrella organization for various youth marketing groups, tweens represent $51 billion worth of annual spending power on their own from gifts and allowance, and also have a great deal of say about the additional $170 billion spent directly on them each year.

Toymakers also have picked up on tweens’ interest in older themes and developed toy lines to meet the demand - from dolls known as Bratz to video games with more violence.

But the idea that in some way the “tweens’ interest in older themes” is occurring de novo; that they are “demanding” more violence in games, more sexy clothing, etc. on their own; is just self-serving, self-excusing garbage. Little kids are interested in this stuff because they’re being bathed in a stew of sexualized images and violent TV and video games—all allowed by the parents involved, who are either too clueless or too busy with other things to take it on.

None of this is easy…any more than the other aspects of good parenting are easy. But, if you love your kids….if you want what is best for them…..the recipe hasn’t changed - you have to take control. You can’t pay any attention to whether they “like” or “hate” you at any given time—your goals are long-term, and they involve raising kids to be whole people who are committed to God and to the plan He laid out for a happy and successful human life in this world, one that prepares us for citizenship in the next.

READ THE WHOLE DEPRESSING ARTICLE

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 11/26 at 10:08 AM

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