21 replies to this topic

[Quadra]

People often go out of their way to protect children from potentially saddening things. Do you feel this is right or should children be exposed to the sometimes harsh realities of life?

I think that keeping things from people is always potentially destructive. Being open with children when bad things happen can often save a family future grief.

[foogie]

depends on what it is. there are certain things that children should never have to deal with (abuse, molestation, etc) but others which are necessary for their natural upbringing.

for example, things like stopping the tape before bambi's mommy is killed is stupid.

[Shadowcode]

I agree. Children must experience some things that the will usually see in real life. Children that are sheltered will most likely not know how to behave in a situation if they have always been sheltered.

-Shadowcode

[Silk]

I'll move this over to General Debating for you.

[Ives]

They'll find out eventually, so im not worried.

[illicit]

I don't think kids should sheltered from all sad things, but some things it's not a bad idea to shelter them from. When my mother showed me that we were not able to pay the bills, etc. it inspired me to work hard in life and get a nice paying career. However, when I found out that my moms (now ex) boyfriend was hitting her, I ended up breaking his fingers and the police were called.

[Shadowcode]

I think age plays a role in determining what level of "situations" are okay for children.
Ex. In illicit's case, if he was told at the age of 3 or 4 about the bills, it would really teach him anything. But later, like he said happened, it teaches kids certain aspects of life.

-Shadowcode

[travis]

Shielded > naieve
Then when the reality check happens...phakowww.
Can't protect them forever, the reality check will come hard.

[Tetiel]

The problem is humans have a great deal of stages of development. It shows maturity and it is of my opinion that some children are not mature enough at certain ages to learn about some serious issues. For example there is sexual activity. Some children might not understand for example if you taught them about it at the age of 8 (the serious things, that is). There are also many things they should be shielded from like violence and death. Little children should NOT be watching rated R movies because for the vast majority it will scare the shit out of them. I got so disgusted when I watched this huge hispanic family take ALL their children in to see Saw 3. They had a kid there that couldn't have been older than 8 seeing that movie and I just don't even want to imagine what his nightmares were like because if I saw that I would be awake for three days. There is a certain extent for everything. Some children at certain ages just cannot separate fiction from reality yet. We should try to shield them until they can for fear of psychological damages.

[illicit]

I think age plays a role in determining what level of "situations" are okay for children.
Ex. In illicit's case, if he was told at the age of 3 or 4 about the bills, it would really teach him anything. But later, like he said happened, it teaches kids certain aspects of life.

-Shadowcode

*she

[Chris]

kids should be kids, and should live happy lives because that is the best part of life. they shoudl learn social skills, but not necessarily sheltered

[Shadowcode]

All kids have their own "level" of what they can handle.
People my own age are disgusted by somethings, but others simply shrug it off.

I also agree with you, Tetiel, that someone are just plain stupid. Small kids should not see death or such or hear curse words. But we live in rough world.

-Shadowcode

[Nick]

Teach kids to handle things well at an early age, that way when they see death they won't be afraid of it. Fears just lead children to grow up with problems. My parents taught me off the bat what unhappiness was.

[Chimander]

I wasn't sheltered at all when I was being brought up. I just never went out of my way to find stuff that I should be sheltered from. But when I did, my parents just explained it and let me learn.

IMO, that's probably the happy space between overprotected and exposed.

[Cataliste]

I was never shltered from anything. Look how good I turned out.

Don't shelter yur children, it makes them too soft and they can't stand up for themselves.

Also, off topic, but stop letting kids participate in sports where there is no "winner". There is always a winner, people just stopped doing that so the ones who suck wouldn't feel bad. It's a stupid idea, considering in real life there are winners. Just because your kid is a loser doesn't mean you have to lie to him about it.

[ArchAngel.]

Yes.
A good reason why too.
If kids grew up believing there was nothing wrong in the world, then they would grow up to find that wrong. The would find it repulsive. Absolutely disgusting. They'd hate it. They'd do something about it.
Much better way to go in my opinion.

[Cataliste]

Yes.
A good reason why too.
If kids grew up believing there was nothing wrong in the world, then they would grow up to find that wrong. The would find it repulsive. Absolutely disgusting. They'd hate it. They'd do something about it.
Much better way to go in my opinion.

Or, they wuld be scared shitless.

[ArchAngel.]

Not really, because think about it.
If we did it to every child starting from Kindergardeners next year and as they grew and every generation after them.
A fuckin army would be ready to make the world into what it should be.
As long as they have peers that share the same views, they'd be fine.
It's all about manipulating the youngins.

[Black Flame]

No because experiencing unhappiness prepares you for the real world and teaches you life lessons. I've been taught many many life lessons from unhappiness. If I were to be sheltered from it, probably everything about me would be different.

[Jewbert]

If I were sheltered from all bad//unhappiness I wouldn't be the sarcastic asshole I am now.
Hahaha.
But yeah. Children shouldn't be sheltered.

Edited by brookuslicious, 16 March 2007 - 09:00 PM.

[fireman]

well you know it depends on stuff like to go to party they should let them but if they come back smelling like crack beat em

[Nick]

well you know it depends on stuff like to go to party they should let them but if they come back smelling like crack beat em

Rofl. QFE.