CHILDHOOD NEVER ENDS

There is a childishness among those closer to thirty than twenty.  A careless attitude in which there seems no idea of consequences.  Univeristy studens, even Seniors seem closer to primary schooler than what one expected of a High School thirty years ago.

The 'hook-ups', where meaningless sex with strangers replaces a 'date', where drugs replace experiences, and where responsibility is a dirty word seem to fill in the childhood that was 'lost'.

Fifty years ago there were many stay at home moms with their stay at home children.  The child would play all day, Mommy calling her for breakfast, then lunch, taking her grocery shopping or to the beauty parlour, because leaving one's child anywhere with anyone, save a live in relative was unsavoury.

At five the child could be entered in Kindergarten or not, as that was not mandatory.  So for six years a kid was a kid.  A kid was kid every day until school began to limit, and then on weekends.  During the summer those who went to sleep away camp had their experiences, those who went to day camp had theres, and those who stayed home for two months had theirs.

One began to grow up because of association with adults.  One had completed their childhood and went into their teens where they were still pretty much monitored, and so it was not surprising that a High School graduating class, as late as 1967 would have a vast majority of virgins, or both sexes.

Today, kids are put into day care as soon as Mommy goes back to work, for not everyone can afford a nanny or has an older relative willing to stay home.  The pre school has become what the kindergarten was in the 50s; almost required.

With the kid needing to be watched from about 8 to 5, activities are organised so that the child is regimented from about three making Kindergarten what third grade used to be.

The kids don't seem to be particularly bright or well educated, despite the fact the average thirteen year old has been in some form of schooling for ten years.

I believe it is the absence of childhood as a child which has created the adult child.  The deprivation of the thoughtless irresponsibility between the ages of 3 to 6, coupled with the recreational summers, (now replaced by summer school, extra lessons, etc.)  has led to this peculiar reversal of aging.