October 8, 2012
Let's Be More Aware of the Subtle Sexualization of Our Kids Julie Samrick Kid Focused "The problem with exposing kids to sex has far more to do with trivialization and objectification than simply encouraging kids to do it. It has to do with what kids are taught about human connection."Dr. Laura hit the nail on the head today in her recent blog post, "Sexualizing Our Kids." Sure, it's rare to find a parent who actually tells his or her child, "Go ahead, honey, and have sex! You have my blessing!," but by trivializing sex and ignoring messages that go against our moral code, we may as well be telling our kids to do just that. From fashion to television programs, we send the message that sex is not such a big deal and ignore what we allow to come into our homes. For example, I recently heard what I thought was just a catchy song by popular singer Flo Rida. It's called "Whistle," and as of this writing, it's the No. 3 song on the Billboard Top 100 Chart and playing on radio stations everywhere. The chorus goes like this: "Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby? Let me know Girl I'm gonna' show you how to do it And we start real slow You just put your lips together And you come real close Can you blow my whistle baby, whistle baby? Here we go." The reason why he couldn't leave out the word "my" and keep it simply "whistle baby" is because a sexual message is blatantly intended. It's subtle to little kids, who have no clue what Flo Rida actually means by "blow my whistle." However, once they figure it out (as I'm certain anyone over 13 already has), they must wonder why the adults around them are singing the lyrics. Julie Samrick is a stay-at-home mom of 4 young kids and the founder of Kid Focused, a site devoted to children and family issues. Subscribe to the free Kid Focused newsletter delivered weekly to your inbox and connect with us on Facebook too. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com Posted by Staff at 7:05 AM |