Then and Now

As a friend and I reminisced about our school days and memories of the school yard encounters, we reflected about what we remembered as kids back then and how different we were to the kids we see today.

Back then a fight consisted of a few, mostly empty threats and maybe a punch or two, but you were definitely in a world of trouble if you ever got caught. Nowadays kids are fighting over turf and pulling out knives and often even stabbing each other. Back then you feared your parents and your teachers and you held your head down low when you were being scolded. Today kids look at you straight in the eye and talk back to you without shame.

With this in mind, let’s look at what else has changed.

Back then our worst TV show was “The A Team” and the rebellious attitude of Mr. T. Our worst music was telling you to “Put your hands in the air if you just don’t care” and even then, parent’s t banned you from the TV show or took away your cassette. Today music is telling you to rape and kill and shoot at will. TV shows for any age talk about sex and scandal and encourage you to rebel just to get a reality show.

Are these enormous changes in society related? Do parents have a right to be concerned? To answer these ask yourself another question... “How many of your brothers went out and got a Mr. T hair cut?”

Gabriel Tarde (1912) in his book Penal Philosophy, claims, “All the important acts of social life are carried out under the domination of examples.”

Is it not obvious then that kids learn by what they see as acceptable?

If we allow the video games that reward you points for beating a prostitute and being the best gangster in the city, then we communicate that these things are acceptable examples. By saying the things that you watch, play and listen to are acceptable we teach that it is ok to do them. Kids get this message loud and clear.

So parents, I ask you to start paying attention. Find out what your girls are talking about, Miley Cyrus or Gossip Girl? Are your boys talking about Myth Busters or Grand Theft Auto? Find out what’s cool or popular with their age group. Watch TV with them. Listen to their music. Investigate their culture.

Decide if the messages given through these things are teaching the morals and values that you believe in, and if they’re not, do something about it. If you don’t filter the negative influences they will be imbedded in the morals and values of your children and the future.

Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see. ~Neil Postman, The Disappearance of Childhood (introduction), 1982

This blog is courtesy the non profit organization KIND (Kids In Need of Direction)
For more info on how you can help build a better future in Trinidad and Tobago call 626-KIND or 626-NEED or visit us at www.kindkids.net