Why today’s kids want to grow up fast?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2003
Why today’s kids want to grow up fast?
4
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 1:14am
Today’s I was reading a newspaper article about how today’s kids want to grow up fast and they are not kids anymore, they behave like adults. The article was very interesting and it says some serious truth. In the article they say that 10-11 yrd old girls don’t play anymore with dolls like 10 yrs ago or so, what they like to do is dance, going out and put make up on. Today’s girls are in a hurry to grow up, some even have their own cell phones. And if for their birthday’s someone give them toys, they don’t like it, they rather have a piercing, wearing the coolest t shirt on the market, dye their hair is as if they are living a very early adolescence.

According to psychologists, sociologists, teachers and parents this behavior has to do with changes in the social, psychological and biological values in the current pre-teens.

It is said by a sociologist, typical puberty manifestations have came very early, another reason could be the socialization-product of a men culture- they became more vulnerable to fashion, television and marketing Since they are little girls, parents, friends, insist and focus an obsession for the physical figure, to be thin. Many assume that in order to be successful they have to be pretty like a model.

And merchants know how to take advantage of that. That is why in stores they sell low cut jeans, tight tank top, platform shoes, and the scariest of them all, thongs, all of these items, in kids sizes. These merchandise is aimed to pre teens who wish to look like grown ups or own the sex appeal of Hilary Duff, Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears.

Also nowadays teens have a lot of facilities to purchase products and services created originally for adults such as cell phones, credit cards, modeling classes and even special beach vacation packages for school.

Teachers and psychologists agreed that teenagers or pre teens need to “burn” first their childhood phase, I mean, each phase (childhood, adolescence, adult life) at time, not skip any phase.

But most of the times it is the parent’s fault, specially the mothers, because consciously or unconsciously, mothers motivate their daughters to dress in a certain way or behave in a certain way in order for other people to recognize them and accept them.

Many psychologists agree that parents should set limits to their kids, and if their daughter dress in a certain way, they should be very aware and careful that the clothes their daughter is wearing don’t have any sexual connotations when going out on the streets. Why expose their daughters to possible predators? Preteens want to be adults but deep down they are still kids, which is something to notice. But parents should be very aware that this behavior doesn’t lead their daughters to unwanted pregnancies, drugs, smoking and alcohol at a very early age.

Parents who have boys don’t have these kind of problems, because boys develop late and if you see a 10 yrd old boy, that boy has a look of a 10 yrd and they still play like kids, like the age they are, but if you see a 10 yrd girl in today’s society, that girl has a face of a grown up already.

Most of the times the adults themselves are the ones who introduce the girls to this grown up world and then they are surprised when they see them on high heels and with make up at an early age.



What do you think on this topic? My opinion is that indeed today’s girls look like more adults than girls, and at such young age some have already tattoos on their body or piercing, they dress very provocatively, wear make up, low cut jeans, thongs. They talk about boys in a very adult way, which is not good.

I mean I don’t understand and disagree why clothes manufacturers make kids clothes exactly the same as the adult clothes that is not appropriate.

Im not a parent but I do believe girls wish to be grown ups very fast now and I do believe that is not healthy. Im shocked when I see little girls (10-13 yrd old) even 8yrd old girls wearing trashy and revealing clothes, that is not good.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 5:40pm

I've seen what you're talking about...and I've also seen a good many girls who have resisted that trend.


iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2004
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 5:47pm
I have to say, I DO have trouble finding clothes that I "approve" of for my daughters! Mine are still little, but I remember when my oldest turned 6, and was no longer in the "5T" sizes, but now across the aisle in GIRLS stuff!!! I end up buying her a LOT of tshirts, because a lot of the shirts in her new size were just not for a 6 yr old!!!! (Low cut, gauzy, etc...) Luckily she's not a very "girly" girl (YET anyway!), so I can usually find appropriate stuff at Target, Old Navy, etc.......She's perfectly comfy in a t-shirt and jeans (REGULAR jeans, not hip huggers or anything like that!).

She's now SEVEN and my littlest one is 5........next year there will be no more "T" sizes to shop for!!! :-( They DO grow up too fast!!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Mon, 09-27-2004 - 6:03pm

They DO grow up too fast!!!!


Even when they aren't trying to...


My DD was funny, she'd get the 'gauzy' type top but only wear it over a t-shirt!


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Wed, 09-29-2004 - 4:40pm
I don't have girls, but I would hate for my boys to grow up fast too. I would like to preserve innocence in my child any day...I would also stress that inner beauty and kindness is more imp than looking cute and handsome. I say that to my boys whenever possible. But if I had a teenage daughter, I think I would have to let her express herself by the clothes she wears so that I can stress on more important things like drugs and sex...