Does this photo from a Christmas ad bug you the way it bugs me? I just hate that our society promotes being a rock star to little children.
I mean, think about what we’re saying to our little people when we push this stuff on them:
It’s important to be the center of attention.
It’s important to be cool.
It’s important to gain the adulation of others.
(And we wonder why kids are so spoiled and demanding these days.)
As if that wasn’t bad enough, don’t parents care that they’re encouraging their children to emulate people who dress like bums and hookers, smoke pot (and worse) until their brain cells are fried, and pickle their livers because they’re drunk so much of the time?
Seriously, do these parents look at their little darlings and think, “Maybe she’ll be the next Lady Gaga!”?
So few people seem to care about developing good character in their children anymore. It’s all about fame and fortune and having a good time. How sad.
(Rant over.)
Thank you for the rant,and I echo your feelings. On my desk right now is an ad that shows a baby and older sibling looking at a book with their mother. The baby is pointing to something in the book, and I loved this. It’s really an ad for pajamas. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with the ad, but brought it to work anyway last week. I’d like to find ways to encourage such influence.
I COMPLETELY agree. It always irks me when advertising aims at making our CHILDREN into sex symbols. Think of BRATZ dolls….they make me shudder. Little children dressed as hookers. It makes me ill. I want my kids to be KIDS for as long as possible. (Oh, and I would be horrified if they wore that stuff when they were ADULTS!)
AMEN, AMEN, and AMEN!!!
Glad I’m not the only one who feels this way……thanks, ladies 🙂
I remember my mom saying she was glad her kids were almost grown, back when we were teenagers. I thought she was just being a typical mom:) She was sad for parents and children in future generations because of the pulls of society. Now, at 47 and the parent of 2 teenagers…I get it Mom! By the grace of God, so far so good. But it’s scary…and I pray for my future grandchildren. What a “Mom” I have become:)
I hear you, Suzanne. My grandma said the same thing. Now I see what’s happening with young kids on Facebook, and I’m glad FB and texting weren’t common when my kids were young! I used to think it was just something moms and grandmas said but now I too get it.
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
These sorts of signs of the times sicken me as well. Yet another reason for homeschooling! And since I’ve found A Thomas Jefferson Education, I feel ever more able to move toward focus on character and leadership skills… which have always been my desired focus over the talent and social that seem much more the focus of the majority of “educational” institutions. ^_^ I’m glad you’ve blogged about it to get our opinion out there some more! 🙂
Tori, it’s so heartening to know that there are moms with young children out there like you who feel that way!
Cudos to you, Barbara, for making this point. The culture is continually striving to rob our children of their innocence. Why in the world any parent would want their child to aspire to be a rock star is beyond me. Genrally speaking, rock stars are either self-serving, drug-using, immoral or immodest…and sometimes all of the above! What’s wrong with children aspiring to be Mozarts and Beethovens? : )
I whole heartedly agree. I also despise the “Hot Mama” message thats sent out to us mothers as well. I mean, seriously, why do I need to look “Hot” exactly? Grrrr…
You and I are on the same page, Laura.
Sarah, I hadn’t heard about the “Hot Mama” message. Yikes!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂