What is happening to our childhood?

Avatar Emilia Siahaan
Se registró el día 13 de agosto de 2013
  • 30 Artículos
  • Edad 22

"Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne..."

Childhood - Michael Jackson

I see that most of the writers here are between the ages of 18 to 23. I guess we have (almost) the same childhood stuff in common, like the same hero, favorite movies, and others. We loved to play hide-and-seek and other "traditional" games. However, I am sad to discover that most children nowadays are becoming trapped in this "growing up too fast" phenomenon. It can be caused by so many factors; technology, society, shifting of cultures, the media, etc. Their childhood time is shorter than mine, or even ours, I guess.

I'm afraid that if they are growing up too fast, there will be some childhood phase that they are missing out on and it will negatively impact their mindset and the way they think. It also affects how they solve problems and how they see the world. Is it that huge? Oh yes, I can guarantee it will be that huge. I'm not talking about a child, but I'm talking about a generation. I have to admit that I don't really have any idea about how to solve this problem because I guess at the end of the day, everything will go back to normal. It depends on how a child's parents treat them. If their parents just follow the current trends of technologies, then we can expect that children will be safe.

One thing that cannot be forgotten is how war and conflict can affect the childhood of many children. Can you imagine living in fear every day? Have you ever imagined witnessing a murder when you were just 5? I am concerned about their psychological condition and I'm also afraid that they will suffer post-traumatic stress due to the violence they have witnessed and gone through.

It also breaks my heart, when I hear that some children are abused, even for something that they didn't do. Many people take an advantage of them: using them to make a living, or even asking them to go to the street to earn money. Those people have taken their time and taken their childhood.

Peace and love are two important things that must be used when raising a new generation, so that they will produce another generation of love and peace. They also need direct care so they know how to treat people and be good members of society. We have to realize that those children are our hope, they are the next agents of changes that we wish to see in this world.

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