Childhoods Becoming a Thing of the Past

What ever happened to the days of running around outside on a warm summer day without a care to the world? Whatever happened to playing with dolls? Playing dress up? Playing kickball with the neighborhood kids? Anything that symbolizes being a kid?  I loved my childhood. It's a freedom I will never have again but hope to see in my kids one day. These days parts of society are targeting kids as young as 7 or 8 years old to be teens or young adults. They are teaching our young that in order to be pretty you have to buy these certain things or look a certain way.

Wal-Mart currently released a cosmetic line aimed at the pre-tweens called GeoGirl. Yes, pre-tweens! For those that are unaware of that age group, they are about 8 years old. Not only are they cosmetics but it's claim is to help the reduction of aging? WTF?!?!?!? Seriously? They are 8 years old. Why do they need to worry about stuff like that? Yeah, I know it's great to start awareness at a young age to maintain what you have for your later years, but what the heck?! They are still growing and haven't even matured enough yet to worry about signs of aging. Dear goodness, what has this world become? This is not the worst of it.

How would you like your 7 or 8 year old running around in a bikini? Not really a problem to some people, right? Well, what if I told you these bikini's are like the ones adults wear? Minus the thong part, but it's not like they haven't crossed that line before, and with a padded top? Here, let me give you a better idea of what I am talking about.

This is a screen shot of Abercrombie and Fitch for kids Online

It's cute, right? But why would you want to put that on your child? A CHILD? Why do you want your 8 year old prancing around in a well padded skimpy bikini top at a public pool or beach? Are you trying to send her all the wrong signals? The world is crazy enough out there, why are you inviting it into your home?

For real people, if you don't see the damage this is doing to your child then I have little respect for you. I am sorry. Life is already hard enough with society telling people how we all should look. Why do you want to put that burden on an 8 year old? It's all in the parenting, right? Of course it is. I know it's up to the parents to teach their child from right and wrong, to instill values, etc. But how is teaching your child that physical beauty is where it's at any good? Things like this is what causes increase stress and anxiety in teens. Possibly increase suicides, increase depression. Why are we putting our children through this? Have we become that shallow of a community that we will even put out babies at risk? Parents, if you have a brains, please let your child be a child and leave the grown up stuff for us or at least when our children are more capable of making a good decision. The world is crazy enough as is, lets not add to it. These kids are our future.

I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know my childhood were some of the best years of my life. I cherish them.