Trends in Child Development Pt. 1
By Mimi Rothschild
Earlier this month, The Guardian, a UK News source, published a fascinating article about child development. There are many lessons to be pulled from this particular article.
Among other things, a recent study has shown that UK kids are much less likely to believe in fairies, goblins, and elves than their parents. Although this trend may be positive, it correlates to the decline in imaginative play among youngsters.
“Adolescence is also being stretched at both ends, with children becoming ‘teenagers’ earlier and ‘adults’ later. For too many young people this transition to adulthood is complex, messy and unsuccessful.”
The technological developments that trickled down through the industrial revolution had far-reaching implications for the development of children. There was a time when teenagers did not exist. Kids were kids until what is now called “adolescence.” Then, they entered the full-time workforce in farms or factories. Today, our prosperity allows our children to remain unproductive and immature until well into their twenties. More young people are living off their parents when they should be striking out on their own.
On the other end, children are no longer allowed to be “kids” for very long. They are bombarded with advertising and entertainment options encouraging them to be adults. Britney Spears was inciting eight year olds to don midriff-baring attire eight years ago. Influences like these tell kids that it’s not cool to be a kid. Rather, they should be doing everything they can to grow up and be like the vapid drones they see on TV.
On top of that, the social environment in the public school encourages these conditions with peer pressure on one side and demotivation on the other. At young ages, children are introduced to sex education and encouraged to be mature in their sex lives. When they are older teens, they are encouraged to skate by with minimal effort just to get into college.
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