The Age of Time
"When I was your age..." It's a common enough phrase, said by most parents and grandparents at one time or another. It's then followed by an explanation over what you're doing wrong or how their childhood was so much more fullfilling than yours. It's also often followed by how they played with dolls until they were twenty two. Is this true? Although an exaggeration it is seemingly so. Are we growing far too quickly? Whose fault is it? Why?!
It's no secret that these days we are exposed to stuff like make up, clothes, and sexuality far earlier in life than our parents. Television is an example, even the seemilngly innocent shows like Hannah Montana with its crowd of young followers is exposing those children to boyfriends and kissing, including fashion amongst those obsessions. Children are allowed televisions in their rooms. I am guilty of this, I had my first television at the age of seven. A small basic model, yet I adored it and would stay up watching it secretly. Despite this, books were my weakness; I'd pore over each word of Phillip Pullman, Jaqueline Wilson, then I'd buy Mallory Blackman-the slightest kissing scene thrilling to my young eyes. They had no rating, I'm sure my mother would read then but she'd say nothing-in fact the only time she questioned me was when I bought Louise Renninsons 'Angus, Thongs and full frontal snogging' at the age of eleven, though I dismissed her dissaprovel with a raised eye brow. Magazines are another source of increasing age-cringe parents talking of boyfriends, childrens magazine like mizz introducing sex symbols without their tops. Yes, the media are making us grow up, they are the ones who show us life, who make us street wise, who invented the nickname naïve for those who didn't quite understand. After all when our parents and grandparents were young, the closest they'd come to the movies and scandal was starwars.
As time progresses, we are labled adults as young as 12! After all the 'childrens menu' caters for those eleven and under and most restaurants will question this age! Cinema tickets are next, most adult tickets are for those 16 and over which is unacceptable. A lot of those 16 year olds are still in school, why should they have to fork over an extra 2, 3 pounds for the sake of a couple of months.
The ages 16,17 are possibly the worst ages to be: you have to pay all the extra money with none of the perks of being 18. Yet, wiser than the world, that doesn't stop some trying. Clad in their scandalous attire of mini skirts, tight tops or for the boys jeans around their ankles and an alarming amount of cologne they totter up to clubs-targeting those seedy pubs where they can get served. Although I don't condone this, my friends do it and it's alarmingly easy.
These factors really make you wonder, just how old are 12,13,14,15 year olds these days? In years to come will we see 13 year olds dressed up in power suits and driving their scooters to work? Will we see mini nine year old sluts on street corners? Will dolls and games become a thing of the past, popping up in nostalgic conversations?
Age is meaningless these days, dwindling everyday, but can we preserve the children of tomorrow? Only time can tell.
