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Vegan Children
Desexualizing Your Six-Year-Old: Five Ways to Protect Your Daughter
from Growing Up Too Fast
By Maria Bailey, Host of Mom Talk Radio
The media has the power to influence society in a very serious and
negative way on our young girls. Here are steps you can take to
overcome that power and influence.
You're walking down an aisle of a department store when you notice
lacy thong underwear for sale on your right and a bright and bold
display of scantily-clad figurines alongside a rack of shimmery body
glitter. No, you haven't wandered into an adult lingerie boutique or
fetish shop, these very products crowd the shelves of mainstream
retailers and even worse, are being designed for and marketed to your
six-year-old daughter.
Gone are the days of tea parties with your favorite teddy bear. No,
today little girls are influenced by Bratz dolls, pedicure parties and
the newest Black Canary Barbie, complete with fishnet stockings and
black boots. In popular culture, they dance to Miley Cyrus only to see
her draped in only a sheet in the pages of Vanity Fair or watch Zoe
101 and weeks later see Jamie Lynn Spears' new baby on the cover of a
grocery store magazine. Growing up too fast is something that moms of
all generations have long been concerned about, but these days it's
happening even younger than ever. Magazine covers celebrate "40" as
the new "25" when it comes to celebrities, but for little girls, six
is becoming the new "16." In fact, according to a survey conducted by
Mom Talk Radio, a nationally syndicated radio show dedicated to
real-life moms, 93% of moms feel like young girls today are being
pressured to grow up too fast. 73% of those surveyed responded that
they view the majority of dolls, games, shows and websites targeted at
little girls as too sexy or inappropriate for their daughters and 79%
refuse to buy into the current trend of children's apparel and
accessories imitating adult clothing and pop culture.
Every generation of mothers has sought ways to keep their daughters
young; however, today the influences are coming not only from the
physical world of toys and television, but from the online world as
well. Sites such as Bimbo.com, where little girls create avatars with
boobs and buttocks and plastic surgery is the reward for earning
points, allow a young girl to live in a reality that is well beyond
her years.
Here are some ways a Mom can keep her daughter innocent and protect
her from outside influences:
Article continues below
1. Celebrate her age with age-appropriate activities you do together.
For instance, plan a teddy bear tea party with her favorite plush
toys. Or create an age appropriate dress-up box with costumes and
encourage her to get creative. Use oversized clothes and
natural-colored cosmetics to play dress-up instead of creating a
made-up vixen. Demonstrate how fun it is to make believe without
emulating the inappropriate images girls might be used to seeing.
2. Discuss and encourage self-care and enhancements in a timely
progression. Every little girl wants to imitate the actions of her
older peers or mother, such as putting on lipstick or painting her
nails. Use these moments to talk about the right way to wear lipstick
or blush. Encourage behaviors you approve of by setting time aside to
test and try things like walking in heels or wearing light make-up --
all in the privacy of your own home.
3. Commemorate who she is right now. Make a life-sized paper model of
her body, decorate it to look like your daughter and allow her to call
out all her favorite features. Recognizing her individuality and
beauty now will do a lot for her self esteem and self image in the
years to come.
4. Engage your child to find out why they are drawn to certain shows,
dolls and online sites. If your daughter has repeatedly asked you for
items you don't approve of, find out what she likes about these
objects of desire and seek out an age-appropriate alternative. For
example, if she's enthralled with the dancing in a Bratz DVD, enroll
her in a class of her own or encourage her to make up her own dance
moves with a friend.
5. Scope out your child's online playground. Just like you would look
over a toy before purchasing it, you should take the time to peruse
the sites your child is visiting online. Visit the "About Us" section
to see who is behind the site and explore the levels of interactions
the site provides your child. Some new virtual world sites, like The
Precious Girls ClubTM from Precious Moments(R),
www.preciousgirlsclub.com, let the parents participate in the fun by
sending regular updates regarding their child's online activities.
Every mother knows that the childhoods of her little ones are fleeting
and wishes she could somehow slow the hand of time. Even without
turning back the clock, these simple tips will help to prolong the
preciousness of youth so Mom can soak up every special moment!
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