Child, Meet Adulthood

    A poll came out a few months ago in USA Today that said that nearly 6 in 10 moms said children were growing up too fast. Why did these parents believe this? There were a few reasons actually. One was because children were allowed to use the internet without being supervised. Of course, you give kids free range of endless information and they are bound to suck in that information like a sponge--good or bad.

Another reason was because parents over-schedule their children's lives. When your kids are running around so much and have little time to actually be a kid--to have fun, to....well, just be a kid--they tend to grow up faster. 

Another reason was because parents give their kids cellphones. I don't even understand this. What possible reason does little 9-year old Jenny need with a cellphone? "Well all of her friends have one." That's always a great argument, which is followed by "If all your friends jumped off of..."

I didn't even have a cellphone until I entered college. Yes, the times are different, but not so much to change the need for a cellphone. The reasons kids want cellphones are the same reasons raccoons go after trashcans outside your house--They're nice and shiny. For the most part, there is no need for a child to have a cellphone unless it comes from the dollar store.   

The final reason, which I wanted to look at, was because parents dressed their kids in age-inappropriate clothing. Of course, for the most part, you can understand this if you have kids. Go shopping for little girl’s clothes at Walmart and you’ll see that Walmart is a nice supporter of little girls dressing like prostitutes. Oh. Did I say that?

Yes, it's true. A large amount of the clothes you find out there for little girls look like they're for teenagers (which too is inappropriate). And that's not an opinion. That's a fact. Any clothing that is intended to sexually arouse a person is inappropriate-unless that clothing is for your spouse-and then it should not be worn in public.

But it doesn't matter if you agree with my statement or not, the rest is true. Go back 15 years or so and you can actually find little girls clothes that are somewhat appropriate for children. In today's culture, it's seen as a norm though for stores to sell children's clothes that makes them look like prostitutes. That doesn't make it right.

I ran across a post yesterday that really displays this kind of acceptance by our culture. Now remember, I said the culture, not everyone. People will always be on one both sides, but when it gets to places like Walmart, it's become a cultural thing, even if people disagree with it.

Hannah Montana's little sister is proving my point. Little 9-year old Noah Cyrus announced that she is coming out with a line of lingerie for kids. Yes, welcome to corrupted immorality or earth. The designers say that the line will be cute but edgy. And we wonder why our kids are pregnant at 12.

   But it's all okay. I myself can't wait until my little princess is pole dancing at the age of seven (sarcasm anyone). There's a bigger issue to this, and the USA Today pole that reaches into parents not doing their job as parents, but I won't cover that. 

   The little kiddie lingerie isn't necessarily surprising from the little Cyrus. Apparently Billye Ray has no problem with it or his daughter dressing like a dominatrix for Halloween. So it's not unexpected when he lets his little girl grow up to be so.....(whorish is what I would put here, but she's 9 years old. I have a dilemma about saying that about a 9 year old even if it's true).  

     Just wait until Billye Ray's achy breaky heart gets broken when he finds out his little girl isn't little anymore....at the age of 10. Thankfully though, this isn't how all of America is, but not too far off. I walk through Walmart and see the parents who let their little girls dress in miniskirts because they think it's cute.

   Hopefully though, most of us aren't like this. Hopefully we have since to know that a seven year old dressing like a teenager isn't right. Hopefully we know that just because everyone is doing it, doesn't mean our kids have to. And hopefully we realize that are kids are just that--kids. And that means they will act like kids, be emotionally-controlled just like kids, and be kids, no matter what they dress like, pretend to be like, or want to be like by having the shiny new toy they see everyone else have.