I was discussing this with another forumite a while back- and it's come to the fore in the news this morning.
I'm disgusted at the publishing of a photo of the "Hanna Montana" girl semi-naked, in a very sexual, provocative pose. She's 15.
Girls as young as five are targeted to buy dolls dressed like prostitutes. Bratz are a personal point of hatred for me. As a mum of four daughters, I despise the fact that there are dolls on the market- and all the associated marketing hype- encouraging young girls to aspire to dress like tarts.
I've seen fishnet tights for 7 year olds. Look at any high street and you'll see eight & nine year olds wearing make up & mini skirts.
14 year old girls are performing live strip shows on webcam for strangers - and thinking it's "normal - everyones doing it" :shock:
Am I alone in despairing as to where this will all end? Who do you think should take responsibility?
I have more to rant about on this one- around the spiraling aspirations that put so much pressure on youngsters, but I need to formulate my thoughts.
I object strongly to the sexualisation of our young people. Also the adult slogans on T-shirts.
I do not allow my son to wear t-shirts with derogatory sayings on them... normally they are given to him by his dad and mum. eg. 'I was born Lazy'. 'Do I look like I give a fuck?' 'sex instructor- first lesson free' I even ban all derivatives of the FCUK crap. I have explained the reasons why. He accepts that and I supply him with alternatives.
I have told him that with everything he chooses his audience when using contentious language. With a t-shirt he has no control over his audience and he really should care that he always portrays himself positively. The same with inappropriate language when he can be overheard.
If I were to have a young daughter I would approach the situation in much the same way.
This is a big soap box of mine and I am being careful to :gagged:
Winch I am totally with you on this, I am sickened by some of the sights of young girls I see. School disco’s at primary schools where the children have mini skirts make up and high heels. What is the world coming to?
It is adult buyers for shops that give the ok to stock such items.
I say bring back Mary Whitehouse like her or loathe her at least she stood up and spoke out. All our children wouldn’t be subjected to such things on telly if she was still here.
I have a daughter and there is no way I would let her go out of the house looking like a make up Barbie doll. Battle or no battle, I explain to her she can have what she wants when she earns the money to pay for it herself, still within reason mind you.
We as adults/ parents should make the choices for our Children, I give my daughter the choice out of three pairs of shoes I have selected for her. That’s the choice she gets and is happy with that, because that’s the way it has always been.
What are we doing to our youth?
Let children be children!
Totally agree with you winch. It scares me just how "grown up" young children are becoming.
My eldest is 4 and I like minx give her a selected choice of which shoes or clothes she wears or I buy. Im the parent and I will not be dictated to by my child, nor will I give in to but so in so has those.
I think alot of the responsibility comes down to the parents to "police" what their children wear but some must lie with the retailers who put what I see as inappropriate clothing/ footwear into the shops.
if kids want to see adult material they will.
Most top selling computer games are full of it, newsagents are all too help to sell dirty magazines to the under age and you just look at some of the topics in publications aimed at 12+.
At the end of the day sex,drugs,violence sells and no one gives a shit.
Fuck you pay me!. thats the world today.
My daughter had bratz dolls and they only thing that pissed me off was the price. I tend to let my children do as they want and hope that the education I have given them is sufficient for them to make the right decisions.....so far they haven't let me down.........