The Childhood Trance

Ever since I was a kid, the t.v. was something that occupied me. When I didn’t know what kind of mood I was in, I let Barney or Lizzie McGuire take over my brain. Within that 30 minute time warp, a barely covered Britney Spears or glamorous Barbie would pop up. Being a 5 year old girl, you want to be like the prettiest older girl you see. And instantly they are your role model. I wanted to dress in belly shirts and wear pounds of bright pink lipstick. I didn’t think twice of how intelligent they were. Then a hulk commercial would come on, showing a big strong violent man. I remember one day going back to kindergarten and a boy telling me I couldn’t play with his cars because I was supposed to cook. Why is the media turning innocent children into stereotypical beasts?  Before I would never see a little girl in a mini skirt or eyeshadow. But with the Bratz movies girls are acting like 20 year olds. It used to be a good thing for little kids to look up to older ones, but those were their parents who set a good example not a trashy one. With a click of the power button 1 minute is taking over a childhood girls think its cool to be barely covered and boys as young as 3 are watching people get sawed in have. Kids should be exposed to age appropriate stuff not things that make them act 25. 

Say "No"

In high school it, seems like everything I learned in 6th grade health is coming true. I remember my teacher saying you will be pressured into doing drugs and sex in a least one point of your high school career. Now being older I feel like saying no is harder than it used to seem. Like in Freaks and Geeks, Lindsay is pressured to throw a party and drink to impress Daniel to boy she likes. Some people I hang around like to experiment. When i'm with them I feel left out sometimes because I have no idea what they are saying. And there have been times when  I wanted to try. I think peer pressure is defintely a big issue in high school. Everyone wants to fit in but not do things that will affect their future.

Parents

Everybody has different views on how kids should be brought up. During my childhood, my mom was a typical Asian parent. I had to do work in each subject for at least 30 minutes every day before I could go play. To me it was torture. Kids are supposed to go out and play instead of being locked up in a dull house all day. I feel like I was raised different from my brothers. I am the only girl and the youngest on both sides of my family, so that means I get unconditional "love." I believe kids should have some strict authority in their life or they will never learn how to become a productive citizen. But they should be praised and be allowed to make their own decisions because they can't be babied all their life. After reading Amy Chua's article, I was really annoyed how her kids have no "life". I had piano, dance, and soccer lessons when I was little and I absolutely hated them because I was forced into it. In middle school I really wanted to dance and play softball but my parents wouldn't let me because they thought schooling was a crucial part of my apparently developing brain. Being a teenager now I constantly argue with my mom about going out. I know about stranger danger and I know I should check in but parents need to lay off and let their kids grow without nagging them.

How might out feelings about death be related to our materialism?

Not once in my lifetime have I ever heard people talking about dying. Its an uncomfortable topic and it seems unimaginable to think of leaning the earth and going on to a greater place. America and every other country in the world values youth. It's supposedly the greatest time in one's life and its filled with admiration. However the movie, Tuesdays with Morrie breaks this. Morrie says, "we start to live when we are dying." I am not 73 years old but I strongly agree with this quote. When we feel like death is ions away from us, we take everything for granted, while Morrie thought being able to enjoy a simple day with his family was the best day ever. I think if more people realize that life is a short journey people would live a little differently and the elderly would be valued.