You probably hear people talk about how growing up nowadays is radically different than it was when “we” were kids. Many of you reading this are different ages than me and it was different when each of us grew up. Today, our kids are being raised in an R-rated society.
There is foul language on every corner, naked people are surviving in the wilderness on T.V., video games are filled with guns and women with huge boobs, young tweens are wearing PINK across their butt, and the list goes on! My mother-in-law said to me once, “I’m so glad I’m not raising kids in this day and age, you parents have it rough.” And she’s totally right! This R-rated society is turning our kids into impatient, manner-less urchins.
I’m 35 so my grandma is 91. When she grew up it was totally G-rated.
- Women made dinner every night
- A man respects a woman as much as she respects herself (ha!!)
- Kids only talked when spoke to
- Women wore dresses, did their hair and makeup
- Kids wore appropriate clothing
- People had respect for their neighbors
- There was NO TV
- Hats, ties, and jackets were worn everywhere
My mom is 62, she grew up in a PG rated society.
- The 60s turned into the 70s and teens started becoming “free” and busting out from their home lives
- Dinner was still on the table at 5 o’clock
- This was the first time in history in which rebellious young people were the main focus of TV, movies, magazines and even politics
- [Men] Not talking shop, or anything “graphic” or presumed boring in front of women
- Children were still expected to sit at the table, no slouching, no elbows
- There were no Goldfish crackers or snacks
- Color TV just came out and the shows were wholesome and family oriented
At the age of 35, I’d say I grew up in a PG-13 rated society, at least as I grew into my teenage years.
- I heard my parents say shit on occasion as I got older
- Movies were getting a facelift in Hollywood and we had the birth of gansta rap and grunge music
- I still wasn’t allowed to put my elbows on the table
- It was still safe to play kick-the-can at night
- Our TV viewing was monitored
- Kids were starting to be left home without parental supervision, kids came home from school with a key around their neck
- Sonic The Hedgehog was the craziest video game out there, but honestly, we played Mario
Now, I know my girls are being raised in an R-rated world. Part of it is totally my fault, I’m not passing blame. I think we all need to do a better job collectively. Our kids are continually exposed to the mindless violence and immoral behavior depicted as normal, everyday living. The movies we watch? The TV shows? Naked people on TV? Women kissing 30 boys to find love (I love that damn show). Even scantly clad ballroom dancers on the “family show” at 7pm. It’s just normal to them! They hear swear words and think it’s normal language that they are just not supposed to repeat. They don’t hold doors for other people, they talk to each other in the worst way. Certainly not the way you’d want others to talk to you.
So think about it, what is your household rated? I know we also talk about not sheltering our kids but what are you sheltering them from? Maybe they are too young to really realize what a shitty world we live in. The kids don’t watch the news in our house, not because I don’t want them to know how fortunate they are or how poor other parts of our country is, but because they are too young to know that young girls are getting raped and men are getting shot just 20 miles from our house because they were fighting over drugs. I know they will never truly live in a G-rated world but I sure try hard to make sure it’s not an R-rated world. Each day I need to work a little harder but I’m trying. I have a dirty mouth and I regret that. It’s sad to say it’s become a habit for me. It should not become normal everyday language and I fear it is. (Kevin doesn’t copy me, he’s a good one.)
We talk about respect for each other every day. We talk about the way we talk to other people. I monitor what they are exposed to on TV and on the iPad. I want them to have a wholesome childhood and find out how rotten the world is on their on watch. So I ask you, try to make your home something other than an R-rated version of life.
Erika LaPean 