Are children exposed to too much too young?
Following Panorama’s recent investigation into the apparent sexualisation of children in the UK, which looked at the images, products and influences to which they are being constantly exposed, do you have concerns about this matter, either in your setting or with your own children?
- 66% said Yes, popular culture is depicting a sexualised world that is encroaching upon children.
- 7% said No, people are taking commercialisation and modern culture too seriously.
- 20% said Maybe, I am concerned that I cannot control the images and influences upon my children.
- 8% said Maybe, but I feel that I am able to control the images to which my children are exposed.
Comments
said on 14 February 2011
Having just viewed comments made by year 6 children to each other on a school web site, I am quite concerned that children are too aware of popular culture and extremely influenced by it, to the extent that they quote very unsuitable song lyrics to each other, whether they understand it is a different matter, but still quite unsettling that they are aware of such things.
said on 8 February 2011
Children are over exposed to sex and adult drama especially before the watershed. Most of the soaps have far too much adult content that children are able to view. Children are very familiar with 'sexed' up images of pop stars and musicians also.
said on 24 January 2011
I blogged about this edition of Panorama: I think we have a rather mudled response to sex in the UK and I'd like to see more responsibility from the media and parents and teachers who can support children to be confident, responsible adults. http://citizenr.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/sex/
said on 22 January 2011
The children in our setting today have to much information imposed on them at to young an age. Some know far to many facts about pregnancy and they are under four years of age. Parents feel they shouldn't lie to their children and I agree, but how a baby is concieved is too much information far to early. We also have children after school and it has been noted by staff about the graffic details that the children use in their conversations. As a practitioner who wants the very best for all the children in our setting I am concerned at the increase of knowledge that makes all children, who are naturally inquisitive, to knowledgeable in sexual relationships before their bodies are physically able to deal with the emotions and physical development which are required for such events in their lives. What is wrong with letting children be children for as long as possible and protecting them from something that they should explore in a loving relationship when their bodies are more developed and their minds are able to process those feelings in a more mature manner .
said on 18 January 2011
Unfortunately parents are not always able to control what their children are exposed to in the way of images or influences, most especially when they go to secondary school. However, my hope is that I have taught them to always endeavor to do the right thing.
said on 15 January 2011
It seems to me that parents do not take any notice at all of age ratings on video games or films and let their children stay up after the watershed. Even if there are older siblings people should take heed of these as they are put there for a reason!
said on 13 January 2011
My Daughter is 12 years old and I am concerned about the images which she sees in advertising and television, especially the music channels.
said on 11 January 2011
I am constantly shocked by the kinds of TV programmes, computer games and magazines routinely accessed by primary school aged children. Do parents really think it is appropriate to let their 10 year old daughter read, for example, Jordan's 'autobiography', or not see the potential harm in their 9 year old son playing Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto?
said on 11 January 2011
I didn't see the Panorama program - I'll try and catch it on iplayer. Obviously, I have no control over what my children see - it's up to their parents but then there is of course a knock on effect when things are then played out at nursery. As for my own children - I'm strict about what they watch. I not sure how that will work as they get older.
Hined said on 16 February 2011
Nowadays, our society is chaging fastly but in a bad way. I think we are very permissive with every thing, we consider everything normal, and I believe is no the way to educate our children and our students. We can't control all the images that are on the TV or in the Internet, the big media world is constantly expousing encouraging sexual images to children or to youth.