What is going on with todays youth???

[tinkntraining]

How old are you?

Yutes are MUCH more sexualized today than ever before.

So, you think it's morally OK for 14 year olds to take nude photos of themselves and pass them around? Really? If you don't, then you're a prude too.

In the PP's defense, I think you made quite a leap from her statement. I didn't get that from her post at all. I read her post to say that it's nothing new -- which I completely agree with. New? No. Farther reaching and therefore causing potentially more problems? Absolutely!

Regardless of our age, I bet each one of us could quickly produce a name of a relative/friend/acquaintance/peer who did something similar (looked at porn, maybe even took a naked picture or two, had sex, etc.) as a teen. The only thing that has changed is the technology. Which is a whole new problem parents have to grapple with now.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I looked for a thread on sexting because I just watched the Penn and Teller program on teen sex. I was shocked about the sexting part of the program but its just different technology that is being used, when I was at school i t was polaroids or plain looking now they send pictures to each other. To put such kids on a sex register for this is mind boggling and seems abusive use of power over minors but what really worrys me about this is what happens if a kid sends such a picture to a wrong person and an adult gets accused of having child porn because of it.

 

[kellyg403]

What is wrong with today's youth? Well, let's see...

~They have never been disappointed in their young lives. They all made the team, they all got a trophy, they are all special little snowflakes.

~When they were first starting school and got into trouble, Helicopter Mama Bear went to the school with guns blazing to tell the school how wrong they were if they thought that her special little snowflake could possibly do anything bad.

~Their role models stink...Vanessa Hudgens (naked photos), Miley Cyrus (suggestive photos), Gangsta rappers ('nuff said)...the list could go on and on.

~They generally get everything they want. Pray tell, why does a 14 year old need a cell phone that does anything other than make and receive calls in the event of an emergency?

~Mom and Dad want to be their friend rather than their parent.

~The path has been prepared for the child, the child hasn't been prepared for the path.

My kids don't get their own personal cell phone until they are 16 and can pay the bill. We have an extra line called the kids phone that they can use if they are staying after school/in an activity. It does not have text and they call to let us know what the story is. I am very happy to report that they have not turned to salt without it..and all of them so far that have had to pay the bill when the time came understood about due dates, overages in minutes etc.

Its really not today's kids, we all were kids and did stuff we certainly weren't supposed to. My mom would probably kill me at age 46 if she ever found out some stuff I did as a teen! My kids are older and it never ceases to amaze me that some of these parents think it is absolutely o.k.to have no boundaries with their children. I was witness to a young boy about the age of ten in a check out line. He kept putting a bag of candy on the register and the mom kept saying no, not today, you don't need it. Finally the little boy screamed at his mother that he would be talking to his dad and she would be in trouble for not getting it. I could have fallen over. The day one of my children spoke to me like that would be the day they would always remember. The time for being friends with my children has come with the oldest ones who have families and children of their own. I enjoy their company not as a mom but as a friend.

Kelly

 

[kydisneyfans]

"Today's youth" are getting a bad rap. What is going on today is no different than the mischief that everyone of us had while we were young, it's just in a different form.

"Today's youth" to me was the group of 29 elementary age kids arriving home from church camp hugging their parents, unloading the sweaty, stinky trailer used to haul their personal items.

"Today's youth" to me is looking at 20 middle school kids camping on a remote part of our church lot this week, having fun among each other and learning more about the facts of life.

"Today's youth" is a group of 10 year old boys, some of which I have coached, that have worked all summer to win a state baseball championship moving on to the regional tournament. They moan and groan that it is 90 degrees everyday, but they still do it.

Talk to the 15 families in New York that had their homes repaired for free by a group of teens this summer. Talk to the family in remote TN who had a roof replaced by my 14 year old niece and friends at no cost. Talk to the families that received a truckload of winter clothing in eastern KY, or the teens digging though ruined homes near Pikeville, KY from flooding this week.

We are in a 24 hour instant news world. For every 1 newsworthy gun in the school or sexting story, there are thousands of untold stories regarding how today's youth are doing their best to better our world. There are bad apples in every bunch, but PLEASE give the younger generation a chance.

 

[java]

As they heard yet again about Sexting at school my son's friend replied to his teacher
"Let me just get my phone out of my pants"
Point being not all of them are doing this. And they are beating it over all of their heads around here.
I don't mind that. I have made the point that in this day it is easy to put it all out there. Problem is - once it's out there there is no getting it back.
Respect of yourself and your friends is a basic lesson that most of the teens I know follow.

But that's not news. The few that are doing those things are.

 

[Silent1CB]

Recent flight. Waiting at gate to board. Large group of teens traveling with chaperones. While waiting, group leader is telling kids to figure out what seat they want to sit in so they can be near their friends. I didn't hear it wrong. She repeated it many many times.

Sit in the damn seat you are assigned. Like an adult. You are old enough to be on a 25 day hiking trip away from civilization, you are old enough to sit in a plane seat you are assigned for 5 hours.


2 yrs ago. Another plane ride. Really large group of middle school kids also traveling cross country. Maybe 2/3 of the plane. Airline lets them preboard. Well, guess what. They all sat where ever they wanted, next to friends. When we got to board, everyone had to try to talk these kids into getting out of their seats they held tickets for. At 10pm at night. We left late to say the least. Chaperones did NOTHING. Also, those kids talked & used their phones all night texting each other. Even when they were supposed to be turned off. I know because I never fell asleep. Red eye flight cross country. Red eyes for sure.

As a teen, I flew several times with my band. We always had to sit in assigned seats & room with who they assigned. No picking & changing. Its how you learn to deal and handle things. Can you imagine 130 kids doing whatever THEY wanted?