Bullet Proof

The phrase bounds to mind when I think of today’s child.

Along with rambunctious, ambitious, fool-hardy and fearless; all attributes the general child aspires to be. The children of today think they’re the exception most of the time. They refuse to accept responsibility or consequence for their actions and yet feel they can handle privileges. In some ways this is a good thing. In others it is not.

So, why are today’s children growing more disrespectful and wanting to walk before they can crawl?

Choice; it has a lot to answer for.

Not implying that choice is the sole crux of the cause, there are other factors to be taken into account naturally, but choice does play a major part in the development of a kiddie’s personality.

Page 1A greater variety of anything is a cinch to get hold of nowadays. Technology is galore. A digital camera, ipod mini plus speakers, Telecom cell phone, Vodafone cell phone, hair straightener, either or all of these gadgets are likely to reside in the average child’s bedroom. Not just a girl’s room either, boys too have the option of straightened hair, as cared-for hair is becoming more and more accepted for the metro sexual male, just look at exemplar A: soccer stud David Beckham and his chameleon hair.
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Image is a major deal. It determines whether you are liked or respected, it defines you as a person. At least this is the attitude shaping our youth. Social acceptance and pressure to be a certain way is existent everywhere.

It is a fact of life.

Underprivileged children, even they, worry about being the only kid in the class with cheap shoes. When clearly there are greater and more terrible things in the world to focus our energies on. The shoe department store Hannah’s has been a venue for many family tantrums I’m sure. Rugged Shark, the domineering rubber soled shoe that to the naked (non - parental) eye oozed coolness, caused a lot of upset for both kids and parents alike. All the kids felt inadequately dressed at school if their footwear resembled anything but.

It’s got to the point now that kids have a never ending want for stuff. They don’t necessarily need new things, or harbour a great desire even, but they still want them. Why? Because. Just, because.
They have so much stuff, and that’s what it is - stuff, they find it difficult to keep track of it all. Not to mention their little habit becomes grossly expensive to support.

Today’s children are still being kids it’s just they’re exposed to more; have more to contend with. It makes them streetwise before their time. It is scary to live in a world where drugs are made easily available to our youth.

Kids take too much responsibility; they don’t have enough or worse any emotion experience to deal when things go wrong. Opportunity is everywhere and they need guidance. It’s incredibly disheartening that kids not only have to be aware of their friends and selves, they have to be made aware and be protected from the unknown too.

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The style and social acceptance of celebrity role models is reflected in our youth, it yields a scary power. Attitudes are flawed by television’s materialistic societies, fabricated for entertainment but still potentially harmful, which spill over into real life. Certain programs lead kids to believe that certain behaviours are acceptable and are considered as the norm. With methamphetamine becoming a greater problem, marijuana in comparison is seen as not that big a deal. It could be worse, our kids think. This kind of attitude is damaging as by seeing it as only ‘dabbling’ and not harmful, they are condoning drug abuse. They don’t think of it this way. They believe they can take control of the situation; they are in control and know what they are doing. Some would say they’re “Too smart for their own good”. Inept they are.
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When it comes to dealing with the nitty-gritty realities of life, they lack the experience and cool thinking to handle things when they turn ugly and pear-shaped. Watching a reality series where a girl drives along with her bejewelled hands barely on the steering wheel, in normal terms would be seen as dangerous and reckless behaviour, through the eyes of a young girl who sees the actress as the essence of cool, it’s not that big a deal. She could be driving with no hands OR she could be doing drugs, while doing so.

It Could Be Worse.

Being highly impressionable and keen to experience new things doesn’t make it any easier. It’s erosive, to our children, to our society. Fat should not be associated with beauty. Money and fame should not be the making of someone.

You may have noticed how our teenage girls are beginning to look the same? Most are starting to have big hair, big sunglasses, big handbags with little dogs inside them, and little bodies. We are teetering dangerously on the edge of becoming a cloned society. This is a shame because we have some beautiful individuals out there. Our children of today have so much choice, so much variety in the clothes, the technology they can buy…So why can’t this be reflected in their selves? Instead of buying same personalities they should be honing and nurturing the unique ones they have.

Mother Goose once said: the weekday children were fair of face, had far to go. The weekday children were loving and giving, full of grace, woe. While Saturday’s worked hard for a living. Sunday’s was fair and wise and gay. If we were to ask today’s child which they felt they were, they’d probably say all of that and then a little bit more. Rambunctious, ambitious, fool-hardy and fearless… No. of words: 961
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