What Are We Doing to Our Children?

As the parent of an almost 24 year old step-daughter and my own daughter who just turned 22, I believe I am well-qualified to address the poor social mores our children are being exposed to from every corner of our modern existence.

Our kids are being bombarded by a non-stop assault on their little minds - minds which I must add are not yet fully formed, thus not ready for the adult world. Take marketing, for example. Since when was marketing to kids a viable business model? It used to be the only marketing directed at kids was early morning and Saturday morning ads for toys and any of the various 'kid's' cereals. Now they can see 17 year-old boys and girls naked, or nearly so, in the latest Abercrombie & Fitch catalog. Cool texting cell phones with television reception are being offered so our kids can be wired to the world on a 24/7 basis.

The level of jealously amongst these highly competitive children is no longer based on how great an athlete little Tommy is, or what a great cheerleader little Sissy has become. Now it's about their designer clothes, the Beemer their folks provide them with, how cool the cell phone is and how outrageous your MySpace page has become. How many friends on your page? How many hits? How popular are you?

It's a bunch of crap, and we are standing by and letting this happen, all in the name of providing a better, more privileged life than we, their parents, had. On the day the World Trade Center Towers came down, I was at the car dealer signing papers on my then 16 year old daughter's NEW car. My Mom bought it for her. A couple of weeks later I asked her, "So, ya still diggin' your new car, Honey?" She replied, "It's okay, but so-and-so has a BMW." I swear that what I just typed is the absolute truth. Needless to say, I had to fight the urge to backhand my kid. I did however give her a piece of mind.

My Mom was no fan as I listened to The Beatles, Stones, Black Sabbath, Grand Funk . . . . but I have no memory of any of these band's lyrics calling for the killing of cops, beating ho's, busting a cap in someone's ass . . . . Now such sentiments are commonplace.