The Perception of Childhood

High school proms are a multi-million dollar industry in the US but in recent years the trend has reached the UK, and increasingly younger pre-school audiences. Gavin Ramjaun investigates this growing trend.

At the school both of my granddaughters went to, they also had a Prom Night and both thoroughly enjoyed dressing up (even my eldest granddaughter who is an out and out tomboy) for the night - but they were both 1617 years old.

Now it seems that it's becoming a trend even for pre-schoolers when they start nursery or infant school.

I'm personally not comfortable with very young girls being dressed in high heels and makeup and then paraded in front of the judges (but then, I don't like beauty competitions at all). Is it really necessary? What was wrong with the end of school disco!

Are we encouraging little girls to grow up too soon and, thereby, becoming overly conscious about the way they look?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video/kids-...112644787.html

Video clip so I can't shortcut it.

Re: The Perception of Childhood

That makes me feel uneasy, I don't like young children being sexualised too young and that is what it looks like there.

My niece's school didn't have a prom but my nephews did, both of them enjoyed it but they were 16 at the time. I wouldn't have liked to see it done earlier than that looking at what their dates were wearing

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It is good, especially if you are in the Stretched Limo business.

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Hmm, I would be highly suspcious of personal promotion then

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Just another endorsement of stupidity .....
Parents these days need classes on common sense and how to use it !

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I read yesterday that Obama wants children to begin sex education while in kindergarten ..I don't know how I feel about the idea .... I think kids should be just kids as long as they can ...I remember being told to never talk to strangers if I was alone and not to get in a car etc ..but there again I don't believe I was ever anywhere alone while at pre-school.. I 'll see if I can find a link .... and if this post is in the wrong place I'm sure some kind soul will move it...



ETA ‘Sex Ed for Kindergartners “Right Thing to Do,”

Re: The Perception of Childhood

If Obama is a Muslim?? then sex education would be normal for a 3 year old woulden't it?
Am I being facetious? No,not really.

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I can't see a problem with sex education at that age as long as it age appropriate material they are taught. Obviously children have questions at all sorts of ages and we have to answer them, and I would rather someone who knows what to say do that than them have the sort of education I had which left me vulnerable to abuse at a very early age because I didn't understand what was happening.

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You can be 'too young' Julie - 7 years should be the earliest .......

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But it depends what they are teaching them surely ? At 3 we started teaching our little ones not to allow anyone to touch them and that some places on their bodies were private things like that, I am guessing it won't go further than that really. No one would teach the mechanics etc until much later.

But before they get to school they need to know a few things.

Oh and by 7 I had already been living with my grand parents for safety as it was when I got to 5 years old I realised what was being done to me wasn't normal and what uncle must do to make you a good girl. If I had know at 3 I would have been much safer.