Is Today's Society Forcing Our Children To Grow Up Too Fast?
By rosey3223
@rosey3223 (1566)
United States
December 20, 2006 3:58pm CST
I do not agree with a lot of changes they are making to teaching/schooling. I think that they are trying too hard to make our children grow up way too fast.
My oldest son, was already learning math in kindergarten. I remember coloring, cutting stuff, using glue, nap time and having fun. But not learning how to write or do math. He is now in first grade and is learning what I remember in Second grade...but is having a major problem comprehending as well. Last year, my fiance had spoken to someone at the beginning of the school year and they were surprised to hear that my son was learning in kindergarten what their kid was learning in First grade. And this year I had received a letter stating that they wanted to prepare the kids for college!!!
I personally think that our kids are being forced to grow up!! I am afraid for my son by the time he gets into high school, that they might make it mandatory for them to have 1 or more college credits in order to graduate. From what I hear (and remember), kids already hate school, and I am really afraid that by the time my children go to high school that they will drop out as soon as their a freshman.
3 people like this
9 responses
@vhansen (2029)
• United States
22 Dec 06
Yep,they make them grow up way too fast.I didn't even know what a computer really was or how to use one till 8 years ago.Now they're learning to use them in first grade! College? How do you prepare a first grader for college? I didn't know what I wanted to be when I was 7 muchless what to study to be it.When they get to be pre-teens would be a better time to start the college stuff.Remember,they're only small once.
1 person likes this
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
8 Jan 07
I refuse to let my son used a computer because I think that it is too much for him. But at his school, he was able to use a computer in kindergarten...I refused then too!!! LMAO!! But now that he is in the first grade, they have computers in class so he has to use them so I am not able to refuse!!! Computers are too advanced. I may have one, but I am older. My mom had a computer when we were kids, but because she does her bills on there and a lot of work from work, we were not able to touch it at all until I was in high school. So I, like her, feel that he is too young to have a computer of his own or even use mine. I will one day let him use mine, but that probably wont be until jr. high school.
@mgmagana (3618)
• United States
8 Jan 07
well i just think with technology and all the advancements kids nowadays have to know that stuff to keep up with the times! but everyone has their own opinions about things! i just feel that it'll better educate my children if u teach them about the future and give them something to look forward to!
1 person likes this
@rosaflorence (1924)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I don't try to push my kids to hard but I do try to get them to learn as much as possible. I let them be kids at home but am very stern when it comes to there homework. I don't feel that the teachers should treat them like they are adults but I do think that if a child learns as much as possible while they are still young then when they grow up they might have a better future.
1 person likes this
@rosaflorence (1924)
• United States
11 Jan 07
I see the picture that you were trying to paint. I understand exactly what you saying. I was smart in school up until I hit the fifth grade. Allgebra did not do me any justice. I did not have a teacher who would sit with me and explain it to me in a way that I would understand. I went through junior high and most of high school not knowing how to do allgebra because once I got into a higher grade, the teachers already expected us to know this. I think that kids should be tought better with one day at a time. I want my child to be smart along with the rest of the world but I'm not willing to have them go through life not knowing to have fun either. I do have a question. What is up with teacher's sending pre-k home with homework? She say her alphebet but my goodness she can't even read.
1 person likes this
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
10 Jan 07
I have different view. I grow up in Europe. In second grade we finished multiplied. We use to study geometry in 4th grade. My daughter after finishing 4th grade in Europe qualified for high school in USA. I think schools in USA were behind Europe and Japan for many years.
When you are young, you can copy everything like a sponge. I think it won’t kill anyone.
I would make sure that kids are not watching too much TV and playing too much on Internet. TV is forcing kids to grow up to fast. MTV is the worst.
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
10 Jan 07
WOW! Thank you for giving me the information on how it is in Europe! I had no clue...man I feel "stupid" now cause I never passed algebra!!! LMAO!!
You do have a point that children are like sponges, but I am just afraid of what might happen if there is too much stress put on them. There are more drop-outs now then when I went to school...and just what happens to the kid who didn't get straight A's, ya know!!
And you are right about t.v!! All is bad...I don't watch MTV anymore because I think it became pretty lame. But thank you for your input, you have shed some light on me.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
22 Dec 06
At least I'm not the only one to see this. My niece who I help raise is now 12 and in seventh grade but it was happening with her as well. Right now she's learning Geometry and Chemistry in her math and science classes. Back when she was in first and second she was learning stuff that I didn't learn till third or fourth and sometimes even further up the years.
What gets me though is they will stress teachign them this stuff so early and yet other things they don't seem to bother with. The schools here sort of skimmed over the basics of math figuring they will learn them as they work with higher skills like fractions. The basics of English the same way, they seem to think they will just know the basics since they are learning higher skills. They seem to forget you need those basics to build on.
It's crazy and very frustrating I know. I wish you luck with it and hope they do better with the basics then they did here.
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
22 Dec 06
Oh my gosh!! They think that they are being smart for teaching the advanced stuff so early, and yet they are so stupid for forgetting the basics!! That makes no sense!! In order to FUNCTION you need the basics! And I can't believe that your niece is only in the seventh grade and already learning geometry and chemistry!! I didn't even know about those until high school!! What are they thinking??!!? Thank you for the luck, I feel that I will need it!! I'm just REALLY scared about how high school is going to be!!
1 person likes this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
24 Dec 06
Here they want to make sure they can pass the state test..they over stress on it. They will teach them tricks and such to pass the test more so then the actual basics. They don't realize if they teach the basics they will pass the test.
I know I am not looking forward to next year. I'm just hoping to get by this year and that she will pass. I'm stressing when ever I help her because I have to relook up the stuff. I had it 20 years ago and now it's a bit hard to remember what I learned.
1 person likes this
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
29 Dec 06
My son has to do that too...pass a state test and it is a requirement for them to pass/graduate. I don't think that is fair!! When I had to do that it was just to see how "smart" you are, not to see how smart you are and if you didn't pass then you didn't move on to the next grade level or graduate!! That's how the first one that my son had to take worked, and he barely passed!!!
And I completely understand trying to help but can't cause you can't remember!! I am not looking forward to that when my son gets older. Right now I can't help because I have no clue how the teacher is teaching him and what I have tried to help out with turns out I was doing wrong so I was confusing my poor son!! But I wish you all the luck in the world!!
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
12 Jan 07
In my opinion schooling should be fun especially for young kids, since they are going to stay for about 10 years if not more of their life. I do think that young children should learn through games and play especially during their first early years.
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
12 Jan 07
Wow, thank you. You have pointed out something that I think that a majority of people forget...that kids need to be kids and to have as much fun as they can before they really do have to grow up!!
@kabuki (152)
• Singapore
12 Jan 07
Yes, we are living in a more and more competitive society where having an edge over others may mean survival or redundance.
Not only schools, but parents themselves also want the best for their kids. This created a situation where the kids no longer have a memorable childhood and a lot of them are overloaded.
The average age of depression and anxiety patients is decreasing, with good reason.
Let them develop on their own will be my advice.
1 person likes this
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
12 Jan 07
And I am in total agreement with your advice...thank you!!!
@beckyomg1 (6756)
• United States
2 Jan 07
i know what you mean, my son who is in 8th grade is already doing college math, i cant understand it all. my junior is already taking college grade course that he is getting credit for and i dont think he is quite ready for it either, so i really think that they are forcing too much at earlier ages then when i grew up.
1 person likes this
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
2 Jan 07
Wow!! That is so trippy that I predicted that!! I was just telling my in-laws that I bet that in a couple of years it will be a mandatory credit to take a college class just to graduate!!! And it looks like it is on it's way!!! I am so sorry that your children have to go through that!! I am more sorry for mine when they get older. I don't remember if I said in the topic that I started, but my oldest who is in the first grade, his school is already preparing them for college...that is just too young. "Society" wants to complain about how the children want to grow up so much more faster than the generation before them, but look at how "society" is forcing it!!!
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
21 Dec 06
First off I never said that I wasn't going to do it, I just don't like the fact that they are being forced to grow up. And second, they are just kids, how is it the survival of the fittest? I could understand if I was talking about teenagers or kids being older than 7, but not a 7 year old!! To me, kids need to concentrate on just that, being kids. Not how smart they are and what college they plan on going to in 10 years!!
@Ashida (1370)
• United States
1 Jan 07
I agree with you. I think the early years of school should focus more on taching children how to be successful in school and getting them to like school. That way in their later years they may actually enjoy learning and therefore pay closer attention to their studies.
@rosey3223 (1566)
• United States
2 Jan 07
Thank you, I am glad that I am not the only one that sees this going on.
