Growing Up Too Fast

When I was young, we were taught to read with books about Dick and Jane.  The hardest words we might have were above, below and ride.  Today the youngsters in first grade are reading items we were not taught until years later. 

And the young people are maturing quicker.  And are killing themselves as teenagers.  And if this is not bad enough, sometimes they put a film up on the internet to show this and other morose events.  It makes society ask the question if we are helping force the kids to grown up too fast.  Way before they are ready to be grown up.  Way before they are able to handle the stresses of adult life or even growing up.

Or maybe our societal change in the basic family structure is partially to blame.  We rarely seem to eat at the dinner table as a family anymore.  Or and that family may consist of multiple dada or moms and not the other parent type.  We have half and step everything to describe our family members.  We have complex relationships due to divorce.  No wonder the kids are confused. 

But with today’s technological advances, our youth could not help but be a lot brighter than my generation.  Just think our grandchildren may be commonly flying to places like the moon for the day.  As they are learning earlier, who knows what the next generation of geniuses will come up with.

Or maybe the next generation will decide to slow the learning process down.  And let the children be kids longer and learn how to play outside again.  Who knows, maybe the next generation will author some new childhood reading material that is more elementary.  And history, as is always true, will repeat itself.  And Dick and Jane may once again join our first grade reader.  But I have a feeling that this time around, their cousin Pedro from a Spanish country will join the cast.