Kids Growing Up Too Fast?

Just read an article over on MSN about how fast kids are growing up right now, with the consideration that 10 years old is the new 15. 10??? Eek!

My daughter is 4 and I sure hope she’s not acting like a teen that young. That’s a horrifying thought.

At the same time, I can see why it’s happening. Just listen to currently popular music. Look at the Bratz dolls. Look at how much kids are targeted by marketers.

It’s really getting to be a challenge these days balancing protecting my kids with letting them be kids and enjoy their friends. After all, no matter how much you protect your kids, some of their friends are going to be into things you’ve tried to keep your children away from. There’s just no way you can find that much agreement between parents to keep it all out.

I just can’t imagine letting a 10 year old girl or boy date. I can see letting them go out with a group of friends, but I wouldn’t want a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship develop so soon.

It’s tough to set limits. My niece, who is 11, got a cell phone last year after much discussion with her mother. However, her mother has strict limits on its use. Cell phones are so common so young now its hard for a parent to justify not getting one anymore. I honestly don’t know at what age Ariel and Gage will start wanting one and at what age to give in… especially since once Ariel has one there will no doubt be much envy from Gage. You know how it is with younger siblings.

I can’t imagine encouraging Ariel to dress sexy so young as some kids do. I want her to be a kid. She’s so pretty already and I’d rather she learn to be herself than so blatently sexy as some kids are encouraged to be. It’s just so much healthier.

[tags]kids,family,children,growing up[/tags]