nonverbal

You know, it's funny. One of those rhetorical questions, I guess. I was reading this article on msn about how kids are growing up faster these days. Now, they're talking physically as well as mentally, mind you. But overall, the article spells out nothing we haven't heard over the past few years. Things like music, TV, movies, video games, adverts, etc. are all introducing our kids to things they have no business knowing about until they're much older. Does an eight year-old girl really need to have "hottie" written across the ass of her pants? Violence, sexual awareness, peer pressure, cell phones, cliques... just more complicated issues that would normally not be experienced until teen-dom are permeating into the under-tween set.

Then I hear this thing on the radio about schools banning the game of tag. Too rough. And musical chairs....it promotes exclusion if you're slower or less athletic, perhaps. Makes you feel like a loser. As I listen to this, teachers are calling in saying that parents have gone too far in pushing the school boards to make these decisions. Let kids be kids...they have to learn not only sportsmanship, but also their "pecking order" in life. In short, they're all screaming that parents have become too overprotective...we don't let our kids learn on their own anymore.

Kids are obese because they're staying inside playing video games....they're inside playing video games because the parents don't want them to go out where they may find trouble, be hurt or abducted, away from watchful eyes. But they aren't watching the games the kids play, so the kids are splitting eachothers heads open with axes...or perhaps cheating to myspace where they can talk sex with their "friend".

Too protective....too liberal...who's doing what, exactly?