Growing Early Or Lost Innocence?

A cousin of mine was shocked when her elder daughter (studying in eight class) came to her and asked, “Mom, is it important to have a boyfriend, does that make one look more cool and wanted?” She was dumb and even after reflecting a lot on what kind of an answer this question should have, she preferred to remain silent. Not that she could not have made her daughter understand (maybe she even did later on) but what bothered her was how life has changed and how kids are no longer kids.

Kids are no more kids. Ludos and dolls have been replaced with online games, gizmos and iPods. They are brand-conscious, aware of the latest trends, concerned about their looks and even love to party, and the lot is of an average age below 15. We may be bragging about the developments of our country, the latest technical innovations but somewhere aren’t we all guilty of taking childhood away from those grown up children? Where a few parents blame themselves, some put it on the age and fast life. Today Barbies have replaced dolls and why have they become a favorite among children? One of my friends studying psychology reasons, “Because children imbibe everything from their surroundings and they know that to have a figure like 'her' is something big. They love 'her' not as a doll anymore but for that star status, for them that ‘Barbie’ is what Angelina Jolie, Madhuri Dixit or Aishwarya Rai is to us.” Same case applies to having a fair complexion; there are a few girlie’s (like most of them in their teens or later years) who will like when even when they are complimented about their not so fair color. If you ask me, where that comes from; just browse the TV channels for a few minutes and you will see loads of fair girls advertising fairness creams.

Their expenses are rising not only in education but even as far as their personal lives are concerned. What was the forte of teen age has become the play of kids, they have girlfriends and boyfriends at the age of 12 and you can even find them shopping at Archie’s on Valentine’s Day. For once you may think that this is an exaggerated take but look around and I am sure you’ll find examples. Laptops are no more a desire of a college going student but even the one who is just appearing for class tenth boards. No wonders, that can be something good but then facts like cyber porn seeps in. Where a few children don’t even get to have three meals a day, others boast about their richness and gizmos. Recently a group of three children (one aged 8, the two other aged 9 years) have been accused of raping an 11-year old girl with whom they were playing. This incident shook the community of Acworth, a small Georgian town but is it really the fault of those kids? Incest is nothing new and even entering the Indian households, it may go unreported but not unnoticed. A lot of questions cloud the mind but the answers are few!