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Recently I read an article (May 13, 2006, in the Detroit Free Press) titled The Shrinking Childhood: Children In A Rush To Grow Up. It talked about the pressure kids are facing these day to do adult things.
Some mothers are asked by schools to pay $30 for caps and gowns – for preschool graduations for five year olds. I just attended my daughter’s high school graduation over the weekend. I am glad this was her first experience in a cap and gown, not her 4th. It just seems more meaningful to save the cap and gown for a celebration of a true achievement.
Other parents rent limos for their kids to take friends to big dances. This maybe isn’t so uncommon, but the kids getting this special treatment are younger and younger–sometimes as young as 13 .
After I read this story, I did an internet search and learned that a 6 hour stretch limo rental in my area will set ya back more than $400. I have to say, I’ve never ridden in a limo in my life, and I don’t feel at all deprived, especially now that I know how darned expensive they are!
Elsewhere on the internet today, I read about spas that cater to little children. Three year olds can go get manicures! What ever happened to your own mommy slicking a little polish on, blowing on your nails for a minute, and declaring you to be stunningly beautiful?
It just makes me wonder what on earth these kids will have to look forward to in the future, when so many ‘adult’ privileges are being handed to them at such young ages.
In contrast, this evening in an NBC news story about Bono in Africa, I saw the story of a 7 year old girl in Mali, who with a few sticks lit a fire, heated oil in a battered hubcap skillet, mixed batter, and fried bread, all herself.
Now, I am not saying that it is ideal for 7 year olds to be in charge of cooking dinner. I wanted to scoop this kid up and cook her dinner myself. But if I was betting on who was going to turn into a responsible capable adult, and I had to choose between the 7 year old cooking dinner in Mali and the 13 year old preening in the limo in America, I would bet on the kid doing meaningful work every time.
Amen! It’s very challenging raising grounded children when the kid next door has his own computer, i pod, stock portfolio, and choice of luxury vacations. My kids must feel very deprived in comparison to most of their freinds – but I think it will pay off in the long run!
There is this show on MTV called Sweet Sixteen where the children of the rich and famous throw these big parties. Everytime I watch I find myself upset. I think the expectation of the children is what bothers me most. I still believe in holding back on the material stuff despite the sarcasm of my blog.