Media and How it Affects Our Young Children

Kids are growing up faster than ever these days. I'm not exactly sure why that is. Is it because of what they are seeing and hearing on TV and the radio and from older kids? I have a five and a six year old and I know they pick up a lot of stuff from TV. My son is a huge fan of Spongebob and I don't think it's appropriate at all for him to watch. The things he picks up from that show is not something I want my six year old walking around saying. So I'll catch him watching it and tell him to change the channel or turn it off, only to find him later watching it again. Not only that but they get to watch it at the gym when they are in childcare and he will sit and just watch TV the whole time because he knows it's limited here at home. That drives me crazy! We finally set up a parental block on the TV and that helps some, but not completely.

Yesterday my daughter said something to me that just blew me away. Now I'm sure some people will read this and laugh or think I'm overreacting, but I was not amused one bit. I had laid out a dress I was going to wear yesterday and had it lying on my bed while I was drying my hair. I came out of my bathroom and my daughter had put it on. She stood up on the bed and wanted me to take a picture. She loves having her picture taken, especially when she's playing dress up. So I took out my phone to take a picture and what she did next really bothered me. She put her hands on her hips and said to me "I want to look hot." I didn't even know what to say to that. I just took the picture and told her to take the dress off and told her that she didn't need to be saying things like that. I have no idea where this would have come from. But for her to come out and say it the way she did gave me chills. She's five, just turned five actually and she's talking like that. I can only wait to see what she picks up when she starts Kindergarten next week!

Now, I'm not completely naive when it comes to parenting. I know that I can't filter out all the bad things that I don't want my children to hear. I just wish that they weren't saying some of the things they are saying at their ages. I don't remember being five, but I'm sure that I didn't say the things they say. It makes me wonder what the children are doing or saying who have parents that don't try to filter what their children see or hear. I mean I do and look at what my kids say. I guess the only I can do as a parent is monitor what my kids are seeing and hearing when they are with me so I know they aren't watching things that aren't appropriate. And of course let them know they shouldn't be saying things they pick up from other places.