Journal # 5

Journal # 5

"Childhood"

The concept of childhood as we understand it is a product of 19th Century Victorian ideals. Prior to that time, there was no general sense that there was any particular need to shelter children from the unpleasant side of life. Children were put to work as soon as they were able.Almost two hundred years later, we have a sense that children should be almost entirely sheltered until they reach sufficient age. In our society, full adulthood is often delayed until individuals are well into their twenties.

I am the kind of person that thinks that most people do overprotect their children, but I am sure that when I have a child of my own I will gave a different take on things. It just doesn't make much sense that people don't let their children do anything anymore. When I was growing up, the only rules I really knew were that I couldn't play on the road, I had to look both ways before crossing the street, I had to stay away from the stove, and when the street lights came on, it was time to go home.

There are some parents that would never let their children go outside and play as children, and then they tend to be the same parents that are way to overprotective when their kids become teenagers. There are parents that won't let their teens date until grade 12, they have to know where they are at all times, and they can't even have their cell phones after 11pm. Those kind of parents would be the hardest to have for sure.

I actually have a friend that just got into university, and luckly he has not taken a downward spirial after the way his parents treated him. He has NEVER been allowed out past midnight, he has his own car, but hes not allowed to drive anyone in it, or go into anyone else's car, and he isnt allowed to have a girlfriend until after he is done university. To me, his parents are crazy, but to him it is just a normal day. When he got to university he had all these freedoms that he had never had before, and some kids that were raised like him, end up going crazy, I am just very happy that is not what happened to him.

When I am a parent, I think my children will have it really easy to tell the honest truth. Most parents tend to raise their kids a little less strict than their parents had raised them, and my parents have been pretty laid back my whole life. I have gotten into trouble of course, but its usually for something comepletely horrible that I have done. But they were good enough that you know they still care what I am doing, and they are always there when I need them for anything. They tend to be pushy when it comes to my grades, they have always been like that. My brother is just as smart as I am, but he always decided that school wasn't his thing. But I am very happy my parents pushed me more than him, because it really did help me in the end, and I am sure that I will try and help my kids through their schooling.

I can not wait to raise my kids wheni have them I think that I am going to be a very good parent, andi really hope that they will be sitting in class one day writing a journal about how much I helped them through exactly what I am going through right now.