What happened to childhood? (vent)

[AdventurersClub]

I'm not sure its any worse than it was decades ago. One thing I have noticed is that people seem to be a lot more judgmental these days.

 

[Schmeck]

I remember being so upset when I turned 13 - I didn't want to be a teenager! That was back in the 70's - waves to MomofKatie - but I wasnt into makeup, clothing, etc. I just wanted to play, read books, and hang out with my friends. I figured that there'd be plenty of time for that grownup stuff later on.

I've noticed that even in my old uber-conservative hometown the girls are getting into makeup and tarty clothing at a pretty early age, around 12 or so. It's pretty sad to see them looking so disillusioned so soon.

I've been to England a few times, it's pretty lively in the cities, beautiful in the countryside (but might have driven me crazy as a teenager, where's the mall, lol!) and except for one fellow way up in Scotland, pretty easy to understand each other's version of English! Oh yes, and I've got to remember next time I go, to pack darker colors of clothing. Everyone seems to wear black, grey, dark blue, etc? My peach and yellow sundresses just screamed 'TOURIST!'

 

[golfgal]

Rofl! Surely not all Americans are fat! I suppose they are bigger than the Brits tho.

I would say that American's on the whole are more overweight then any other nation...No, not all of American's are overweight but it is getting worse each year. What is really wrong about this is that the number of KIDS that are overweight. It used to be one or two kids in your class in school, now probably close to 1/4-1/2 of the kids are overweight to a degree.

 

[mdsoccermom]

I was watching this tutorial on YouTube the other day, out of boredom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85QT2tlfVOw

And one of the comments was:

'can you replace the silver with a pink? i want this for my sweet 13.'



What TWELVE YEAR OLD should be parading around town with 'Burlesque makeup' all over her face? And since when did girls get a 'sweet 13'? I see this all the time where I live, at the middle school-young girls losing their innocence SO much earlier-and it makes me . When I was twelve (which was only three years ago), I didn't own any makeup. I did not present myself in a sexual way, because we had limited knowledge of what that entailed. Nowadays, girls don't even realise the image of themselves they put out on a daily basis with what they wear, put on their face, or how they act. They see all the sexualised culture being put out in the media and absorb it like little sponges, and replicate it mindlessly.

Whatever happened to just being a kid?

Please. The world has not changed in the 3 years since you were 12. I know, I live with a 12 year old girl. While into clothes, she chooses not to wear makeup just like some of her friends. And yet, some of her other friends - lovely young ladies - do.

It hasn't even changed much in 30 years since I was in middle school. Some girls wore makeup, some didn't. Some were more sexually aware, some weren't. Some coveted those great designer jeans at the time, some didn't.

And you know something, many of those kids who wore makeup, wanted the designer clothes, etc. turned out just fine.

 

[meggiebeth]

I don't know....I've seen some pretty big Brits at WDW.

The point is, everything is a stereotype. Real people seldom conform to our preconceived notions of national character and/or looks.

True, true. Very well put

 

[golfgal]

Accents---every part of the US has a different accent. I often have a hard time understanding some of the accents in the US (hearing difficulties mostly). Some of the terminology used in different parts of the US don't always translate over too. In Wisconsin they call drinking fountains "bubblers". If you didn't know that you would not have a clue what they were talking about, for example.

 

[meggiebeth]

I would say that American's on the whole are more overweight then any other nation...No, not all of American's are overweight but it is getting worse each year. What is really wrong about this is that the number of KIDS that are overweight. It used to be one or two kids in your class in school, now probably close to 1/4-1/2 of the kids are overweight to a degree.

Wow... I'm guessing that it could be partly due to the fast food culture Americans are used to? Some of them anyways. As fast food becomes a bigger and bigger thing in Britain, we are also putting on more weight. More than half the people in my class are overweight... not majorly though.

 

[Metsfan520]

Please. The world has not changed in the 3 years since you were 12. I know, I live with a 12 year old girl. While into clothes, she chooses not to wear makeup just like some of her friends. And yet, some of her other friends - lovely young ladies - do.

It hasn't even changed much in 30 years since I was in middle school. Some girls wore makeup, some didn't. Some were more sexually aware, some weren't. Some coveted those great designer jeans at the time, some didn't.

And you know something, many of those kids who wore makeup, wanted the designer clothes, etc. turned out just fine.

I could have written this post.

 

[bombygriz]

I don't know. You tell me. Your post is WAY too "grown up" for a 15-year old IMO.

Well, I guess I'm just different. Are you trying to insinuate that I'm not fifteen? I don't understand what you're trying to say.


Accents, oh my goodness...in America, there's a lot of them. For some reason, British people tend to think that we're all Southern, though

It seems like everyone in England has a different accent! I have loads of English and European friends, and they all have different accents. Americans are kind of enamoured of them, though, it's strange. I've never had a stereotype of the posh, Buckingham Brit in my head, though. In fact, my British accent (I'm an actor) is more down to earth because it's kind of based on Daniel Radcliffe's. xD Harry Potter is where a lot of American kids learn their British!

I use British spelling a lot, too...I just like it more.

 

[FireDancer]

I would say that American's on the whole are more overweight then any other nation...No, not all of American's are overweight but it is getting worse each year. What is really wrong about this is that the number of KIDS that are overweight. It used to be one or two kids in your class in school, now probably close to 1/4-1/2 of the kids are overweight to a degree.

If I recall we are only the third fatest country by % but we are #1 by numbers (the first two were much smaller nations).

The number of kids who are overweight or obese is staggering and unacceptable but God forbid we actually discuss the problem instead of sweeping it under a rug. Just look at our little microcosm of society here. Any thread talking about the problem is locked in 3 or 4 pages because people would rather just ignore the issue or blame some medical condition that apparently effects the majority of people here (based on responses to threads on the issue) despite the actual occurrence bing very low.

The current generation of children and adolescents has a good chance of having a lower life expectancy than their parents or at the very least needed a cocktail of drugs just to survive into adulthood.

OP, I'm 33 and there were girls who wore makeup when I was a high school freshman and some that didn't. The school I went to through 8th grade didn't allow it and if anyone showed up with makeup (at least noticeable makeup) they went to the nurse's office where it was removed. Kids have always wanted to grow up faster and I doubt it will ever change. It is what it is.

I also find it a bit ironic that a 15 year old with a breastfeeding icon in their signature is talking about growing up too fast.

 

[sunnyday123]

My Dd is 13, and sometimes wears make-up. To her, it's brown mascara and a tiny little bit of eyeliner-also brown. At this age, it's more of an experiment than anything. Some of her classmates are into the heavy-Jersey-Shore-black eyeliner, but it's really like one or two.

I think a lot of it is what the parents allow, and boundries. My DD isn't allowed to watch most of the shows on Mtv like Awkward, Teen Wolf,etc. However my 11 year old niece is, and talks about smoky eyes, living off a boyfriend, and 6 inch hooker heels. They are completly different kids, because they have different rules.

I do think some teens are growing up faster than they should.

I also want to see some pictures of these houses with thatched roofs!!!

 

[mjkacmom]

I wore WAY more makeup in middle school than dd did - it was the early 80's! However, the decade before me wore MUCH shorter skirts, shorts, and skimpier shirts, because it was the 70's. History repeats itself. Nothing new.

 

[MoonFaerie]

I was watching this tutorial on YouTube the other day, out of boredom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85QT2tlfVOw

And one of the comments was:

'can you replace the silver with a pink? i want this for my sweet 13.'



What TWELVE YEAR OLD should be parading around town with 'Burlesque makeup' all over her face? And since when did girls get a 'sweet 13'? I see this all the time where I live, at the middle school-young girls losing their innocence SO much earlier-and it makes me . When I was twelve (which was only three years ago), I didn't own any makeup. I did not present myself in a sexual way, because we had limited knowledge of what that entailed. Nowadays, girls don't even realise the image of themselves they put out on a daily basis with what they wear, put on their face, or how they act. They see all the sexualised culture being put out in the media and absorb it like little sponges, and replicate it mindlessly.

Whatever happened to just being a kid?

I'm confused about where the parading around town part comes in.

I envision a sleepover with makeovers. Which I'd be fine with for my DD now, much less once she's 13. Not for every day use though.

I am admittedly permissive when it comes to this sort of stuff. DD's been out in full stage make-up plenty of times after dress rehearsals and performances. She's 6.5 and she's allowed to have her fingernails painted, wear clear or very light lip gloss, and she has pink and purple streaks in her hair. It's not a sexy thing. Granted it's been 25 years since I was her age, but I remember playing with make-up and such as a tween/teen. I've been coloring my hair since I was in 7th grade. I certainly wasn't more sexually aware than my peers. Not even close.

 

[MoonFaerie]

I wore WAY more makeup in middle school than dd did - it was the early 80's! However, the decade before me wore MUCH shorter skirts, shorts, and skimpier shirts, because it was the 70's. History repeats itself. Nothing new.

Yup. The electric blue of the 80s was way less subtle than the make-up in the video. I mean we had Cyndi Lauper and Madonna.

 

[sunnyday123]

Yup. The electric blue of the 80s was way less subtle than the make-up in the video. I mean we had Cyndi Lauper and Madonna.

Oh, that blue was amazing!! I wore it all the time-you could see me coming a mile away!!

 

[robinb]

I don't understand what you're trying to say.

What I am saying is that I find it ironic that you are speaking to adults online, talking about mature topics like the sexulization of young girls and lamenting the loss of childhood when you are a child yourself. Why don't you enjoy your own childhood and play with people your own age?

 

[Magic Mom]

ITA. To me, it seems FEWER young girls (middle school age) are wearing makeup than when I was that age, back in the late 70's. I started wearing a face full of makeup (not lightly or well applied, either ) at 12/13, in 7th grade, as did all of my friends. I also wore my first "real" heels about that age and became more interested in what I wore- and what boys though of it.

DD is the same age now, and she has become more interested in clothes lately- but is more into cool soccer cleats than heels! She is not really interested in makeup yet- not many girls in her grade are- and she definitely doesn't want to kiss any boys yet.

In short, I think that girls aren't all that different than they were 20, 30, or even 50 years ago. Some get into makeup/clothing/boys early, and some later. The only big difference I see is that kids now are more inclined to broadcast what they do. Back in my youth, lots of girls had sex before HS graduation, but very few talked about it, much less bragged about it.

I know lots of mddle school girls that wear makeup. Some more than others. My daughter wears a little powder and a little mascara. Contrary to what the OP thinks, she is a down to earth normal kid. Good grades, into sports, not too grown up, but growing up at a normal rate. Maybe I should tell her she should be more like the girls in the olden days (like 2007).

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I was watching this tutorial on YouTube the other day, out of boredom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85QT2tlfVOw

And one of the comments was:

'can you replace the silver with a pink? i want this for my sweet 13.'



What TWELVE YEAR OLD should be parading around town with 'Burlesque makeup' all over her face? And since when did girls get a 'sweet 13'? I see this all the time where I live, at the middle school-young girls losing their innocence SO much earlier-and it makes me . When I was twelve (which was only three years ago), I didn't own any makeup. I did not present myself in a sexual way, because we had limited knowledge of what that entailed. Nowadays, girls don't even realise the image of themselves they put out on a daily basis with what they wear, put on their face, or how they act. They see all the sexualised culture being put out in the media and absorb it like little sponges, and replicate it mindlessly.

Whatever happened to just being a kid?

No offense but this is a prime example of what tweens and teens have been doing for centuries and I can assure you that not much has changed in the past 3 years.

The teen/tween years are a difficult time for kids. They are not "kids" but far from adults. Most kids want to feel and be treated more "grown up" so they try to make themselves more mature to push past the "kid" phase. Some kids do this by asking to dress more grown up, begging to be able to wear makeup, get their nails done etc. Then there are others who try to push past this phase by inserting themselves into mature conversations, believing they are more mature than their peers and mocking other kids to adults etc.

Regardless of which path a kid takes, the grown ups know they are doing it to make themselves try and feel better about an awkward time in their lives.

 

[Magic Mom]

Some kids do this by asking to dress more grown up, begging to be able to wear makeup, get their nails done etc. Then there are others who try to push past this phase by inserting themselves into mature conversations, believing they are more mature than their peers and mocking other kids to adults etc.

Regardless of which path a kid takes, the grown ups know they are doing it to make themselves try and feel better about an awkward time in their lives.

You're so wise!

 

[Alyssa88]

I was 12 in 2000. I have a hard time believing things changed that much in 3 years. You changed, you became more aware to what occurred around you. Ignorance truly is bliss sometimes. It is great that you want to maintain your innocence, but really I see nothing wrong with a 12 year-old experimenting with make-up. That is normal.


Your posts (and signature) read like you are much older, and actually have some life experience. You seem to be kind of a prude, who judges topics she has no actual knowledge on.


At 12, I would wear makeup to impress boys. What would I do once they were impressed? I held their hand, I danced with them . . . and that was it. While I may have been preoccupied with boys, clothes and make up . . . I still maintained my straight A's and a good head on my shoulders.

I had a classmate who was a bit of a tomboy, never wore make-up or fashionable clothing. At 13 she had her first child. You never know by looking at someone.

At 23, I am quite proud of who I grew up to be, despite wearing make up in middle school.