I've had such a heavy heart this week. (nothing to do with me or Mister Wonderful)
It has to do with Today's Youth.
Without saying a lot, I had an incident happen with 2 of my students (ages 5 & 6) that really was eye opening for me.
I couldn't help on my drive home today and think about all the things I wanted to address/talk about on blogger about this.
I am extremely concerned that kids act like adults at an alarmingly early age.
Which renders the reasons WHY?
Movie themes.....
TV situations.....
Song lyrics.....
Conversations at school.....
PARENTS/home life....
Are all robbing our children of their innocence.
Our children's minds are saturated with immorality and thoughts of intimacy that should only be experienced in marriage. They're being robbed of innocence. Their hormones are awakening and society is throwing fuel on the fire, enticing them to explore things they are not mature enough for.
With television and the internet playing a bigger and bigger role in their lives, children are being introduced to ideas and issues which used to be kept away from them. Rather than having fun for the sake of it, and going out to play, they're receiving the adult world in a largely unfiltered form.
Which makes me scared all over at how much my students especially my sixth graders act/say things/ behave as high school seniors would do.
I am sad. Sad because when my parents were kids, the misbehavior that happened was spit wads and chitty chatty kids.
My youth was just kids that thought using swear words was "cool".
Today's youth: I can't even list it all on here how different they are from when I was a kid. And different not in a good way.
Case in Point where I really noticed this?
The Super bowl commercials
"Give---and you shall receive"
Holy Sex in a commercial.
HOW DOES ONE EXPLAIN this to a child who sees it?
"Give what daddy?" What will you "Get?"
Oh wait that's right. Today's parents "don't" explain. They just dodge the subject. Or the parents pretend that they don't have to explain because their kid is to young to understand.
Oh what a bubble the many who think this live in!
SEXY AND I KNOW IT
Great song. FOR ADULTS
This week alone I have had to correct more 6 and 7 yr olds with using this word that I could of ever imagined.
I ask "Do you know what sexy means?"
Most say, No.
So then I reprimand them for using a word that could mean something bad without actually knowing what it means. Then I have to go over "proper" vocab as to what other words you can use instead of sexy. Sexy is a GROWN UP word.
But you can say:
Pretty
Beautiful
Handsome
Cute
Etc etc etc...
This is why I am a CONSERVATIVE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE RULES!
THERE NEEDS TO BE PEOPLE TO TELL YOU NO!
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE TO RUN THIS COUNTRY with MORALS AND VALUES and GOD!
I cannot take this. It breaks my heart.
I actually smiled when I overheard a sixth grader tell me she wasn't allowed to see anything higher than a PG movie.
Yeah here I am screaming silently "YOUR PARENTS ROCK!!!"
Today's children are being invited to engage with ideas that they simply don't have the maturity to deal with.
Am I way off on this?
I say no.
Thoughts?
First, let me start this comment off by saying thank you for sharing this. As an educator, I know all too well the alarming rate of how quickly America's children are growing up.
ReplyDeleteIt is so funny that you posted this today...Here is a story and I promise to make it quick:
My principal caught a 7th grade girl giving oral sex on three 7th grade boys under the bleachers before school started on Tuesday. SEVENTH graders! I just can't even imagine what in her mind told her that this type of behavior was ok???? I blame it on the media, but I also have to blame much of this child and the children centered around this post (and at my school) on their parents.
I sound SO OLD when I say this, but my parents were so overly involved in my life, I didn't have room to make bad choices. And if I did, I learned a lesson really quick about it.
My five year old nephew sings that LMFAO song all the time, and yes I laughed the 1st time because I thought it was funny, but when he said it again, his mom (my sister) had to have a discussion with him on why that word was not a "nice" word. Poor guy was so confused! He knows that song is on the radio for all to hear...he isn't stupid. He questioned her on why he couldn't say it when it was on the radio. She didn't know what to tell him.
My point is...parenting and raising children is hard enough...I wish society could lend a helping hand and help moderate what our youth listens to and sees. I think it is up to the parents to make sure they raise children with morals and values and teach them right from wrong.
I'll end it here...I could go on and on!! Sorry for such a long comment!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!
My son came home from Kindergarten this year saying the word sexy, I was shocked. I also told him it is an adult word that means beautiful, but that he is not allowed to say it until he is an adult. It is crazy how early kids learn stuff. I am right there with ya!
ReplyDeleteKids these days grow up wayyyy too fast. My niece who is in 5th grade is already learning about how to use a CONDOM in health class!!! I was shocked!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree! It irritates me to NO end that shows on TV can now say B**** and other words INCLUDING GD.. only they bleep out GOD and not D***. WHAT?!?!!! Or in songs... they can curse on the radio now.. this was not the case when I was growing up.. it's disturbing.. and one of the main reasons I haven't had children yet. It is scary to think what the world will be like in 10 years if we think THIS is bad...
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. I am ultra conservative too. It's so sad to me, and I think parents don't think much of letting little things (that aren't so little) go unnoticed. In reality, they are robbing their children of their youth and childhood by letting them grow up WAY TOO fast....just like you said. I think if we could help them see that perspective they might me a little more strict about what they allow their children to say/do/wear/listen to, etc.
ReplyDeleteI teach middle school, and it absolutely blows my mind at some of the things these kids say and wear and do. Especially the girls....with their highlights, spray tans, tights, UGG boots,i-phones, & Coach purses....I didn't look like any of them till I got to college. CRAZY.
I think since we're not parents ourselves yet we lose credibility becasue many parents think "we don't know what it's like yet," and while that is true, I hope I will try to guard my children's hearts more in the future. I think being in a school where we see the results of this coming out in a daily basis in the children we teach, we have a little more insight into the true effects.
Sorry for soapbox...
But no, you are not way off base. :)
A friend of mine is a teacher at one of the elementary schools in our county, and it really is SO scary how much kids are exposed to at such an early age. She teaches kindergarten, and I'm amazed at the stories she tells. It's awful! And I worry about the day I have children.. because things were not even close to this bad when I was in school. Those commercials definitely don't help. I think social media and our technology is just enhancing all of it.. and it's not headed anywhere good.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%! Another thing is Facebook, there is a reason they ask for your birthday so they know you are old enough to have one. But, children just lie and I know of a few on there who are in 3rd and 4th grade! It is ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteOh my word, I couldn't agree more. I just saw that M&M commercial again yesterday and I found myself wondering if I was the only one that thought that (song) was inappropriate?! It seems like the new "norm" is to just accept it and not question whether it's appropriate or not, but I'm having a hard time with that. I mean an M&M commercial for goodness sakes!! What could get more innocent than that? (You would think anyway...) They are always taking it too far in one way or another. I definitely feel like I'm not going to be prepared to bring children into this world (whenever the time comes), because I don't know how I could possibly shield them from all of the bad influences of today.
ReplyDeletei totally agree!! i think kids are subjected to WAY TOO much these days, even doubly since we were growing up...it's sad to see, and i think parents need to take a more active role than some choose to -- preach it lady!
ReplyDeletewow this is such a great topic! thank you for posting this! my hubs and i were just commenting the other day how such inappropriate material is on so many sitcoms that are on earlier and earlier...
ReplyDeleteits so hard when the media has music, tv and radio all around these kids. and even harder when parents are not practicing good parenting. i think that has a lot to do with it... my cousins who are both in their early teens know this stuff is out there, but have been raised to be respectful, and know what is appropriate and inappropriate - whether it has to do with language, music or tv.
it's great to see that you, as an educator are doing all YOU can to correct and teach these kids when you can!
You are not way off base, our country has strayed away from the conservative values that our parents were raised with. The truth is though, this change needs to start in the homes. I don't think we can blame the establishment as much as people so drastically altering the way that they parent. People it seems are afraid to tell their children no or discipline them anymore... It's very sad.
ReplyDeletei couldn't agree w you more! i hate when kids grow up so fast and i'm shocked at what some parents allow their children to be around/hear/watch.
ReplyDeleteI am in shock from reading Michelle's comment!! That just saddens me. My brother is 13 and in 7th grade and I watch the way his classmates act and it frightens me! I hate how kids are growing up so soon and it scares me that when we have kids, it will be worse. Thank you for sharing this!! The world needs to hear it!
ReplyDeleteYou're totally RIGHT! I teach parenting classes, I work in child abuse prevention, I work with teens with substance abuse issues....all of which could be avoided or not as bad of problems if their PARENTS would take more active and appropriate roles in their lives. It is heartbreaking, it really is. It's just nice to know there are other people out there who feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteYou make excellend points, I don't have kids yet but I am definitely concerned for children in general and moreso because many adults don't seem to think there is an issue with a child "dropping it like its hot" I'm sorry but I don't find that amusing at all, on the contrary I find it inappropriate
ReplyDeleteIts sad that you (as their teacher) have to not only school them, but also teach them the things their parents should be. I am new to your blog so I dont know too much about you, but from what I have read you seem to be an amazing teacher that goes above and beyond for the children.
ReplyDeleteGirl, I consider myself more of a fence sitter, less conservative but also less liberal than I used to be...and BOY OH BOY do I agree with you on this. I was actually JUST reading how fashion lines are using GIRLS to represent their clothing lines now. I don't mean teens. I mean 10-12 year olds. Cindy Crawford's daughter is the new face of Versace (I think, if I recall) and she's under 15. Elle Fanning (Dakota's sister) is freaking 12. It makes me so sad. It's like the fashion world went from anorexic models to girls who were already tiny and pre-pubescent looking.. b/c they are so young. And young girls should never be made to look "sexy" or even know what that means. It's so sad. I'm perpetually shocked by how much vulgar language is in everyday television now.. shows kids watch. It just really gets under my skin. I'm so with you on this.
ReplyDeleteThese are just a few of the concerns I have as well with kids in today's world and makes me scared to raise my own. I want to homeschool for many reasons one of which being that not all families raise their children the same way and I want what I teach them at home to be what carries them through life and not what they learn from their friends.
ReplyDeleteIt's a scary world
I agree. Kids know way too much. What happened to censorship?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. I heard a little boy singing, "I'm sexy and I know it." Hellooo, you're in 3rd grade!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree. My nephews are 8 and 5, and I was absolutely APPALLED when they knew what sex was... I'm sorry, but I had no idea what that was until high school... And not only that but the other night my bf & I were watching ABC which has a lot of family shows on it & there was a girl in her bra being pinned down on the dining room table?!? I'm sorry but I don't think that should be on a family comedy.. So I have to agree. You are brave for being a teacher. :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could talk with you more about this but I must be running to work! :)
Good luck with everything!
I completely agree with you on this. I'm a school speech pathologist and it just breaks my heart. Growing up, my mom was pretty strict about what I could and could not watch, what movies I could see, etc. I wasn't a rebellious child and I knew it was for a good reason so I never really had a problem with it. I did get picked on some when I wasn't allowed to watch PG-13 movies until I was actually 13. I don't have kids yet and when I do, I don't want to shelter them from the world but I do want to set limits and be very aware of what is going into their minds and hearts. The innocence of childhood is a beautiful blessing, I hate the way so many children have it taken away so early.
ReplyDeletei didn't watch the super bowl and watch very little tv, so this is my first time seeing these commercials. The first one boils my blood- like, I want to punch someone!!! Although i am generally more liberal than conservative, i feel the media and entertainment need to take it back a few hundred notches! this is why, when my fiance and i have kids, they will not watch regular tv or radio- along with many other restrictions (ie internet and video games). they're aimed at young kids for a reason and the media knows what they're doing. but, it's all about money- everything. it's so sad.
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this post!
Wow I just came across your blog via pinterest and I love it. I am also a teacher but I teach fashion design to teenagers in New Zealand, I am mortified by some of the things I overhear students discussing or even the amount of information they will share with me. If only their parents knew what their children were up to they would be horrified. I hate to think how fast the next generation will grow up and I only hope that society takes a turn for the better and things head back the way they were when I or my parents were growing up. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this :)
ReplyDeleteWow I just came across your blog via pinterest and I love it. I am also a teacher but I teach fashion design to teenagers in New Zealand, I am mortified by some of the things I overhear students discussing or even the amount of information they will share with me. If only their parents knew what their children were up to they would be horrified. I hate to think how fast the next generation will grow up and I only hope that society takes a turn for the better and things head back the way they were when I or my parents were growing up. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this :)
ReplyDeleteWow I just came across your blog via pinterest and I love it. I am also a teacher but I teach fashion design to teenagers in New Zealand, I am mortified by some of the things I overhear students discussing or even the amount of information they will share with me. If only their parents knew what their children were up to they would be horrified. I hate to think how fast the next generation will grow up and I only hope that society takes a turn for the better and things head back the way they were when I or my parents were growing up. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this :)
ReplyDelete