Elementary school kids swearing and dating?

[Blame it on Ben]

Last week I volunteered to be a supervisor at a elementary school club. Being in a room with a bunch of fourth and fifth graders made me come to a realization on how mature kids are acting at such a young age. I was stunned by how vulgar of language they were using. Now I'm not saying that I don't swear, but I even heard a kid call someone else a "mother fucking ****" (among many other things). I did not even learn "****" until High school.

On another note, yesterday I my friends little brother who is in sixth grade was talking about how he was thinking about a long term relationship with his girlfriend.

Is it just me or is something wrong with kids recently? What has caused kids to start trying to act "mature" in a bad way?

 

[BlumiereBleck]

The calcium in milk is speeding up the growth of hormones. Hell i wouldn't be surprised if in the next 20 years 6 years olds will start puberty.

 

[Jumping_Over_Fences]

Every older generation thinks that the younger generation is fucked. I used to use bad language all the time when I was younger.

 

[RaphaelsRedemption]

There's so many different factors. But I will call you out on this - being able to swear and play at romantic relationships, does NOT mean those kids are mature or acting as such.

In fact, I would say any child able to resist peer pressure to not do those things, is a much more mature child.

Being allowed to make their own decisions aout such things as swearing and relationships used to be seen as a mark of maturity, as they were discouraged until a person had reached a certain age. However, today's kids have so much more autonomy and less input from parents and other authority figures, this is no longer the case.

 

[IrradiatedFish]

I wouldn't really know to be honest. To this day I still refrain from using vulgar language. Not to say that I don't when situations become... Interesting. But in general, I don't see this colourful language being necessary in the slightest.

EDIT:

In fact, I would say any child able to resist peer pressure to not do those things, is a much more mature child.

I totally agree with this. Excellent comment.

 

[Lilani]

Every older generation thinks that the younger generation is fucked. I used to use bad language all the time when I was younger.

My mom has been a secretary at an elementary school for more than 12 years, and she's witnessed the decline herself. Kids are getting worse and worse, and it's challenging the schools in ways they've never been challenged before. The pattern she's noticed is discipline--kids just aren't being disciplined like they used to.

She has literally had parents talk about their child who they're picking up from the principal's office say things like "Well we've never really told him no before." And "Oh we'd never spank her." And she's just seeing things like that more and more often, it's not slowing down.

The conditions at home always have a significant impact, too. Having separated parents can be hard on kids, and so many more children are in situations like that than before. It's sad. But the parents are really the only ones who deserve any blame.

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

It's the lack of discipline i tells you. *Shakes cane*

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

Eh, everyone was swearing by the time I was in third grade. That was... nine years ago. I was one of the few who wasn't.

 

[Tibike77]

Is it just me or is something wrong with kids recently?

It's not just you, but there's also nothing wrong with the kids either on the sexual front.
Sixth grade is what, 12-13 years old ? Puberty has already started for quite a few kids that age, and you can't treat them like children anymore.

Then again, you shouldn't treat children "like children" (in other words "like idiots") either.
Just because they're young doesn't mean they're stupid. Uneducated, misguided, lacking experience, sure... but not stupider than they'll end up being when they reach adulthood.

I don't know about you, but I started being interested in girls and sexuality around 3rd or 4th grade (so about age 10-11). The vast majority of my classmates shared similar interests. Ok, I ended up being more interested in computers and science-fiction soon afterwards, but that's a completely different story.
I guess I just have a better memory of the time I was a little kid compared to other adults... I mean, it WAS over 20 years ago, so... eh.

P.S. On the discipline front however... ouch.
Whoever had the stupid idea that you shouldn't spank/slap children was an idiot, and whoever keeps agreeing are even greater idiots. As long as no permanent physical damage is inflicted, physical punishment (pain in particular) IS the best didactic tool.

 

[Gentile]

I just believe that parents have got to step up their game and somehow find the courage to know exactly what their kids are up to in schools - so that they can do what they're supposed to do, parent their children. I still have faith in the fact that parents are supposed to raise their kids. Not mass media~

 

[spartan1077]

As generations advance, the age of sexual feelings and "language" advances. Soonm preschoolers will be having sex.

 

[Gentile]

As generations advance, the age of sexual feelings and "language" advances. Soonm preschoolers will be having sex.

Kinda strange to go through thousands of years of advancement only to have the age of sexual maturity drop drastically so recently. isn't it?

 

[Konaerix]

I hear ya, I work with little kids around that age and I've noticed that same thing. You're right, little kids are talking about dating and using...questionable language. I don't know why they're like that but damn...it still kind of shocks me.

 

[Tibike77]

Kinda strange to go through thousands of years of advancement only to have the age of sexual maturity drop drastically so recently. isn't it?

Oh, hey, ever read "Romeo and Juliet" ? Guess what age Juliet was supposed to have in the original play... if you guessed "going on 14", then you guessed right.
Also, it was not awfully unusual for women in the middle ages to marry AND HAVE CHILDREN by the age of 12 or even earlier.
Get your facts straight.

 

[Swny Nerdgasm]

Every older generation thinks that the younger generation is fucked. I used to use bad language all the time when I was younger.

My mom has been a secretary at an elementary school for more than 12 years, and she's witnessed the decline herself. Kids are getting worse and worse, and it's challenging the schools in ways they've never been challenged before. The pattern she's noticed is discipline--kids just aren't being disciplined like they used to.

She has literally had parents talk about their child who they're picking up from the principal's office say things like "Well we've never really told him no before." And "Oh we'd never spank her." And she's just seeing things like that more and more often, it's not slowing down.

The conditions at home always have a significant impact, too. Having separated parents can be hard on kids, and so many more children are in situations like that than before. It's sad. But the parents are really the only ones who deserve any blame.

This is it right here, as someone who used to work in the public school system, kids today are horribly undisciplined. Now I'm not saying you should beat your kids when they do something wrong, and I myself was never abused, but my parents had absolutely no problem smacking the SHIT out of me if I crossed the line. Kids today are barely yelled at anymore cause people believe that it will ruin them.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Dude, people where cussing up place when I was in 4th grade...which was 7 years ago, so I wouldn't be too alarmed.

As for the "dating", they are elementary schoolers, so don't take that seriously either.

So don't worry about a bunch of little kids using stupid words and "dating". (pfft!)

 

[Nouw]

It's the lack of discipline i tells you. *Shakes cane*

Best post, it works on so many levels! Made me laugh.

Also, I can not stress this enough.

Do not generalize
Just because one school you visited had kids like that doesn't mean every kid in the world is going to be like that.

It's true a lot of the 11-12 year olds in my school have girlfriends/boyfriends and drop them as quickly as them found them. It can be a positive as they should learn what not to do and what to do. Although I doubt it...

You just have to accept it, but of course I blame the ever-changing society. Damn media! It's the media I tell you!

About the punishment thing, read Starship Troopers and it will add new perspectives.

 

[Ham_authority95]

As generations advance, the age of sexual feelings and "language" advances. Soonm preschoolers will be having sex.

Kinda strange to go through thousands of years of advancement only to have the age of sexual maturity drop drastically so recently. isn't it?

Actually, in 19th century it was common for girls to be married and have kids to be on the way by age 14.

 

[archvile93]

Is it just me or is something wrong with kids recently?

It's not just you, but there's also nothing wrong with the kids either on the sexual front.
Sixth grade is what, 12-13 years old ? Puberty has already started for quite a few kids that age, and you can't treat them like children anymore.

Then again, you shouldn't treat children "like children" (in other words "like idiots") either.
Just because they're young doesn't mean they're stupid. Uneducated, misguided, lacking experience, sure... but not stupider than they'll end up being when they reach adulthood.

I don't know about you, but I started being interested in girls and sexuality around 3rd or 4th grade (so about age 10-11). The vast majority of my classmates shared similar interests. Ok, I ended up being more interested in computers and science-fiction soon afterwards, but that's a completely different story.
I guess I just have a better memory of the time I was a little kid compared to other adults... I mean, it WAS over 20 years ago, so... eh.

P.S. On the discipline front however... ouch.
Whoever had the stupid idea that you shouldn't spank/slap children was an idiot, and whoever keeps agreeing are even greater idiots. As long as no permanent physical damage is inflicted, physical punishment (pain in particular) IS the best didactic tool.

While I certainly agree that children shouldn't be allowed to run around doing whatever little thought crosses their minds. I'm currently studying human psychology, and most of the studies I've read suggest that physical punishment is one of the poorest motivational tools a parent has. One of the main problems, in addition to the emotional ramifications of making such a motivational technique standard, is that it doesn't really teach children not do something bad, it just teaches them not to do it while your watching.