Does this picture bother you? It sure as heck bothered me when i found it on the net! And yet it fits this post soooo well!I started at a new job today [yay!] on a production line. and during a break i talked to the young man i was working with. He is a lovely guy who is only about 17-18yo and [I don't know how the convo got around to this] he was telling me about how his 12yo sister is dating an 18yo man. [This isn't the first case i've heard about recently either] Of course i expressed concern about that, and he went on to say that his cousins and nieces of the same age [11-13] all can't wait to get in on the dating/sex scene and prep themselves for it with clothes and make up etc. He spoke about it like it was a normal way of life. He had the attitude of, "Yea well, they are starting younger these days." I just wanted to grab him by the shoulders, shake him madly, and scream, "Are you crazy?!?! Let's find these guys and beat the shit out of them!!!" and then report them to the police!
I find this really shocking! I have a daughter aged 12 and to me she is still a baby in the ways of the world. She still plays with her Baby Born and her Barbies. She makes Duplo/Lego houses and plays her recorder while sitting on the trampoline. She spends more time with our cats and her DS than her freinds.
And yet there are 12yos out there having adult "relationships" with 18yo men? And people see this as ok?? I spose with young girls listening to and idolising women such as The Pussycat dolls [John calls them the prostitute dolls which is much more fitting!] etc, the wrong message is the bold as brass one. [Which is why i don't let my kids listen to this crap]
I really hate that we live in a world that is ruled by money and sex, regardless of age. In fact it literally hurts my heart. What happened to the age of innocence? What happened to protecting our children from the harsh realities of "life" for as long as we could? What happened to childhood?
Am i just an old fuddy duddy?
Are my ideals old fashioned?
Am i living in the dark ages?
Am i wrapping my kids in cotton wool?
Some might say so.
But dam, my children are precious to me, and childhood is all too fleeting anyway, so i'll hold onto it for as long as i can on their behalf! I can only do what i believe to be right. And in my heart of hearts, letting my 12yo be ready to date an 18yo [ or even dress/act like she wants to] is certainly not it!
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It says in the Bible that Jesus will come back when the days are as bad as they were in the time of Noah. Not that i am questioning God at all, but just how black does mans heart have to get before it's as bad as the days of Noah??
