Yesterday, while volunteering at the library, there was a kid, who I assume to be around eight years old.
While organizing the books in the Graphic Novels section, I overheard the kid on the phone, possibly talking to an older sibling. Or maybe a parent (even though I seriously hope it was not a parent). The kid said he wanted cigarettes, and asked the person on the other end of the line to get him some.
After that, when organizing the books for small children section, I overheard the kid swearing at one of my teen-aged peers. The woman in charge of the youth section asked him to leave, and he did.
About ten or twenty minutes later, I saw him outside, smoking a cigarette.
I think this kid is a very good example of what today's youth behave like. That kid probably did not know the dangers of smoking, and I doubt it was his parents on the phone with him. I think adults need to take more responsibility for their kids' actions, and prevent America from becoming a nation of troubled youth.
Some of my other peers thought I was overreacting when I was discussing the kid with them. They said it was none of my business. I think it is. I think with all the songs about sex and drugs, not to mention internet pornography, as well as sexual television shows, kids are growing up too fast in terms of their physical actions.
Another example is a kindergarten boy I met in 6th grade. The boy talked about sex, even though he thought sex meant kissing. Whether he knew what it meant or not, kids that young should not even know the word sex, aside from the definition of sex as gender. That boy also willingly kissed other girls frequently, and he told dirty jokes and swore constantly.
I reiterate- today's youth is growing up too fast as far as sex and adult habits such as drinking, smoking, and drugs.
So, discuss. Do you think today's youth is too free to learn about adult topics and activities? Or should they learn faster, for whatever reason you have to justify that?
While organizing the books in the Graphic Novels section, I overheard the kid on the phone, possibly talking to an older sibling. Or maybe a parent (even though I seriously hope it was not a parent). The kid said he wanted cigarettes, and asked the person on the other end of the line to get him some.
After that, when organizing the books for small children section, I overheard the kid swearing at one of my teen-aged peers. The woman in charge of the youth section asked him to leave, and he did.
About ten or twenty minutes later, I saw him outside, smoking a cigarette.
I think this kid is a very good example of what today's youth behave like. That kid probably did not know the dangers of smoking, and I doubt it was his parents on the phone with him. I think adults need to take more responsibility for their kids' actions, and prevent America from becoming a nation of troubled youth.
Some of my other peers thought I was overreacting when I was discussing the kid with them. They said it was none of my business. I think it is. I think with all the songs about sex and drugs, not to mention internet pornography, as well as sexual television shows, kids are growing up too fast in terms of their physical actions.
Another example is a kindergarten boy I met in 6th grade. The boy talked about sex, even though he thought sex meant kissing. Whether he knew what it meant or not, kids that young should not even know the word sex, aside from the definition of sex as gender. That boy also willingly kissed other girls frequently, and he told dirty jokes and swore constantly.
I reiterate- today's youth is growing up too fast as far as sex and adult habits such as drinking, smoking, and drugs.
So, discuss. Do you think today's youth is too free to learn about adult topics and activities? Or should they learn faster, for whatever reason you have to justify that?
