It’s a different world out there these days. It’s a much different world than when I was a young girl. Even taking into consideration that I was a sheltered child, this is still a much different world. Innocence is lost at a very young age.
When I was six or seven years old I was happy to play with dolls and swing on the swings outside. I didn’t know what serial killers were. Gunshots were only heard two weeks out of the year during our annual gun deer hunting season. Shorts weren’t permitted to be worn at the public school except on the last day when we had our final picnic. Dresses and clothing for young girls were modest, keeping them appropriately covered. There was still a sense of innocence.
There were still some rules for television programs. Of course, there weren’t any cable channels when I was that young either. Broadcast television played the national anthem before signing off at midnight. There was nothing but snow on the set until five or six in the morning. The only time we saw cartoons was on Saturday mornings.
Even as I grew into high school and teenage years, the world was still much more innocent than it is now. Sure, girls tried harder to wear more revealing clothing to allure the innocent boys into their traps. And the boys were more than happy to fall into those traps. Sexual attraction is a normal part of being human and growing up. But there were more consequences for losing their innocence at the time. There were more reasons not to fall down that rabbit hole.
The world we live in today not only is extremely sexualized, but also a lot more violent. Sex sells. We are desensitized to violence at a young age because of the media and entertainment industry. When we are no longer shocked and scarred at seeing a man shot and killed we know we have lost our innocence. Yet how many children play video games that allow them to kill their opponent? Of course we know it’s all in a game. But subconsciously, it becomes acceptable behavior.
When I was a child parents had more time to spend with their children. Money didn’t grow on trees but parents found ways to make ends meet and still have family time. In our world today financial difficulties have taken their own shot at families and innocence. Sometimes children are left to themselves after school until one of their two working parents come home from work. In a single parent household it could even be longer. Where do these children get the attention and love and guidance they need to grow up into mature responsible adults?
Today’s children have to grow up much too soon without the guidance to know how to do just that. There will be those who argue that children in the pioneer days were already married and had children before the age of 18. They were. But they were also prepared for that life. They knew hard work and responsibility. Their parents spent time teaching them about life and responsibility. Life was much easier and less stressful in those days.
Depression and suicide are on the rise in children. Bullying is a common occurrence. Drugs and alcohol are being abused at younger ages. These children are lashing out at their world. They want love and attention and guidance. Instead they are getting phones and televisions and video games. Parents are worn out and can’t give them what they want. They can’t get it for themselves.
There is a serious loss of innocence in this world. How can we get it back? What can we do? Honestly, I don’t have an answer. I can only pray there’s still a chance for hope.
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