Children and their referents: that they do not take away their childhood

We live in a society where contents that children receive through television are very different from those of past eras. Series where children behave and dress as adults, small stars with choreography and lyrics from adult artists, fashion that forces them to dress in an inappropriate way for their age * All this makes the children are missing necessary phases from childhood and mature early.

Something that is very worrying because for the child to develop his personality adequately it is necessary that he goes through all the phases of his childhood and adolescence since skipping any of them can be detrimental to his emotional health. That is why parents have to monitor the referents that the child has and the way in which society tells them to act so that they do not end up becoming adults ahead of time.

Negative influence of children's referents

More and more frequently, we are getting used to seeing, for example, at the end of the year parties preschool girls and boys doing choreography and costumes for adult shows and songs. It is a widespread phenomenon that greatly encourages, this irruption of children artists on television. Children have always imitated and will continue to do so, from what they see in their reality.

A educator society that seeks the best for their children must flee from this type of shows and the promotion of this type of models. They must discover the world at the hand of their elders, who should try to monitor the influences they receive through series, television commercials, films, musical groups, etc. Do not make them believe that they should skip childhood and be adults before time.

Children are subject to a large number of news and information precociously and play little. At least they play little between them. They are very influenced by television and by junk television. Fierce consumption in an economically developed society like ours affects them a lot. They live very fast contents of little inconsistency and cultural value, and they are increasingly demanding.

Dress them up as adults

Regardless of the taste and style of each family, the truth is that both children's fashion houses and many parents, dress their children, mainly girls, as if they were mini teenagers or young adults. A problem that is often faced by parents who do not find many alternatives when looking for a suitable wardrobe for the youngest of the house as clothing stores are betting on models of clothing for older children.

The problem with which many parents find themselves is the other girl companions of their daughter, who he rebels if you did not dress like the others. But they will have to impose themselves by bringing their children closer to that environment where reading, play, affective communication are superimposed on the superfluous and consumerist. That is to say, to refuse what fashion wants impose, but offering as an alternative attractive and educational activities in which they feel happy.

Early eroticism

According Veronica Lopez, child and adolescent psychologist and family therapist, specialist in child abuse and abuse at the Nut Psiconutrition Center, the human being is a biopsychosocial unit and, from this perspective, television with its youth programs and also the Internet, become references of the Children and are staying in their memories as ideals of wanting to be or become, and that is how they advance stages. "Today, the social pressure of women as a sexual symbol is so strong, that this promotes their development".

The specialist explains that these children they follow a pattern, that is, they manifest a set of symptoms in this area and stand out for them. Therefore, if girls only wear breastplates, miniskirts or lip gloss, it is not eroticism, but rather may be responding to a transient trend, more than a special behavior. However, when this is added to adultized verbalizations about topics of sexual connotation, along with lack of limits and lack of care in showing their private parts, one can speak of an early eroticism.

The other danger of precocious eroticism is that it develops very unbalanced personalities in these children; this, according to Neva Milicic, "happens for a excessive worry and energy expenditure on issues that are not typical of chronological age, when the hormonal system has not yet developed and neither affective nor cognitive development has been completed ".

How to act to protect children's childhood

Since we can not control the creation of content that is seen on television or force so many brands of clothing to adjust their fashions to what is really necessary. From home we can try protect childhood of children through concrete actions with which to ensure that children do not become adults ahead of time and enjoy this beautiful moment in their lives as is childhood:

- Educate is not scare. If you see that your daughter dances with vulgar, vulgar or erotic movements, she surely imitates what she sees on TV. Suggest that she dance as well, but with movements more appropriate to her age that will applaud her more. Tell the same thing to your male child if you see him very provocative.

- Do not laugh thanks. If at some point our son makes a joke of his own or performs an obscene choreography, we should not follow the game and laugh at the grace as this will only make the child understand that this path is appropriate.

- Modesty accompanies. Teaching the child the care of his body and not the exhibition of it is not puritanism, it is knowing how to value intimacy.

- If at these ages they ask you to dress with "outfits" of adults, make them see that you as an adult Do not wear "outfits" of a young girl or young man, because your children would see you as ridiculous.

- Do not be afraid to warn at school or in a festival that the dance, the choreography or the show has to be according to their age and not belonging to a young person.

- Be aware of the games of your children. If you observe that they are ahead of their age, offer other alternatives more appropriate to their age.

Marta Santín

Advice: José Luis Calvo, Videpresident of the Prodeni Association

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