As a mum of two young girls aged 6 and 5, I am already starting to worry about them growing up too quickly in todays scary world. I don’t know if it’s because he’s too young, or if it’s because he’s a boy, I haven’t yet started to think about Frankie growing up too quickly.
On a recent trip into town to buy them an new outfit, I noticed how, now, they are drawn to the clothes which feature a diamante logo or a top which (shock, horror) shows their belly button! Where, before anything with Peppa Pig on the front or a Disney Princess, was their idea of ‘heaven’. Now, of course I don’t let them choose their own clothing (if I did, they’d be shuffling around like Pearly Queens!), but it struck how it’s becoming more and more difficult to talk them into liking what I want them to like!
I see them staring enviously at these children, the same age as mine, who are allowed to trot around town in high heeled knee boots or dressing up shoes (I live in Swansea by the way, and this is a regular sighting) while they are in their sensible Clarks or Converse, and they look up at me with hopeful, expectant eyes. So we come home, I google image ‘bunions’,and I ask them if they want feet like that. The answer is always no. Ha!
But, at what age do I have to take their preferences into account? When they go into junior classes, start secondary school? Or can I wait until they’re old enough to buy their own clothes? Giving me at least another 10/11 years of control…..Yep, that sounds fair to me!
Another obstacle I find in the way of keeping my children, children is music. Be it the radio, mtv (which is now banned for the children – their Dad’s orders!) or a CD marketed for kids, yet featuring Rihanna! I don’t know what you think, but I for one was horrified hearing the lyrics of Rihanna’s song S&M. Granted, children don’t know what S&M could possibly mean, but them singing along to the lyrics “sex in the air, I don’t care, I love the smell of it” is just plain wrong!!!! I can’t believe nothing is being done about songs like this. I remember a bit of a furor from mum’s when Britney‘s ‘hit me baby, one more time‘ came out all those years ago. I know which one I’d prefer my children singing along to.
It’s not even as if the sexual innuendo’s are hidden or portrayed in a way that children wouldn’t really understand. Call me a prude, but this is blatant, unashamed and downright unacceptable. Humph. And it’s not just Rihanna, there are loads! I just think this song was one of the worst, I know the video was mostly banned before 9pm, but the lyrics are just as bad.
How can parents control it though? We can’t. Just a couple of weeks ago Olivia was singing this song:
‘ I am no angel, I like it when you talk dirty to me’!!!!!!!
( What the hell?????)
‘Where did you hear that?’ I screeched at her, choking on my toast.
‘On the school bus.’ She innocently replied. She is 5 years old.
And that’s not all. One evening Eva, who’s 6, was telling us about her dance class in school, she wanted to show us what she’d learnt, so we all took our places on the sofa, while she arranged the rug to be her ‘stage’ and she started belting out and dancing to:
‘ I like big butts and I cannot lie….’
(This is the God‘s honest truth, I couldn’t even make this up.)
What’s more, is they go to a CATHOLIC school!!! We were gobsmacked to say the least….I admit, we did laugh our heads off after they’d gone to bed though. :-/
So, what are your opinions on keeping your children, children as long as you can? In this world where everything is controlled by media and apparently the media see’s nothing wrong with the sexualisation of our young ones. Do we just go ahead and ban tv/radio at home? But what about when they’re not at home? Or do we rely on the Governments Bailey Report to help sort things out for us parents before our children reach the REALLY impressionable age of the newly branded ‘tweenager’?
Please let me know your thoughts/opinions, I would love your advice/thoughts on this matter.
xxx
