Whatever happened to growing up like a normal kid

Couple of pet peeves I have with the way kids are growing up these days.

Tino is 8 years old. She hates wearing short shorts, and when I try to make her wear them (I don't care if they're too short now after you've worn them for the past 5 years, Mr Lavalava hasn't got any specials on right now), she throws them at me (never mind the behaviour, we'll discuss that in another post). And then I see other little girls of similar age and in their teens. Skimpy little shorts that barely hide their ass cheeks. Tight little tops. Tell me mothers, why do you let your daughters dress like little tarts? Like little girls who just can't be bothered being 10 anymore and just want to be 21 already and walking the streets. Seriously. If you are trying to relive your glory days on the Matautu wharf through your 10 year old child, dude, please, just stop. Let your kid grow up morally sound, with dignity, and self worth, and without the eyes of every creep on her uncovered thighs. I love that my kid hates wearing short shorts, a two piece or anything revealing. That's the way it should be. Until she's 50.

When your kid starts taking Facebook more seriously than say, doing her homework, you react in one of two ways. You breathe a sigh of relief and thank God that your child is a normal 12 year old who is on her way to having a steady social life and boyfriend. Yay! Or you think "Oh. Hell. No. Ain't no child of mine gonna be addicted to taking a selfie every ten minutes, making stupid duck faces, and calling her friends twinnie when there isn't the remotest resemblance between them." Parents need to take more of the second reaction. Get a hold of your child. She has plenty of time to grow up, no need to rush things. My aim is for my daughters to grow up enjoying their childhood, reveling in the simple things, and not caught up in the materialism and social fakeness which is fast becoming the norm for kids from a young age.

Phones are now allowed in schools? Why? Why do you give your kids phones anyway? If you're saying it's for emergencies, and so that your kids can call you, don't kid yourself. There are never any emergencies and your kids never call you. Your kids are using those phones to contact their friends, viber, whatsapp, facebook, whatever. As far as I'm concerned my child is in school to learn, interact with other students, eat her lunch (and possibly someone elses) and go home when the bell rings. That's it. No stupid phones and taking selfies at lunchtime and texting during class.

Yeah. Come on parents, spend a little more time and effort on making sure your kid is growing up right. And I shall try to take a page out of my own book lol.