Friday, July 24, 2009

Just Too Young

Everyday this week I have been bringing my older girls to horse camp at a local ranch. On the way there everyday I have passed a Knights of Columbus building that is holding a "Teen Dance" in the near future. On the sign the ages are 8-16. Eight years old!! That absolutely breaks my heart. My Alyssa is 8 years old and I cannot imagine her being at a dance where there are also 15-16 years olds. I wouldn't let her go to a dance at this age even if it were only 8 year olds, but the fact that 16 year olds are also included is crazy.
I mean, 8 years and 16 years is only an 8 year difference. But these kids are worlds apart! I know the KC charges for the kids to get in, so allowing such young kids to go is just another way to make a buck (I am not condoning their part in this, at all). But why would a parent allow their 3rd grader to attend such a function. The younger they are exposed to boy/girl interaction (dancing, flirting, touching), the younger it progresses into something more. Then their innocence slips away before they even know the value of it. And it is our responsibility as parents to protect them and prevent that from happening to the best of our ability. It very much saddens me. I know I am not going to do everything right, I just pray that I can make enough right decisions with my children to protect them from that sort of heartbreak.
What do you guys think about this?

3 Sweet Comments:

  1. Chasity I am so with you on this subject!! I would never let Maddie or Alex go to a dance at the age of 8. Actualy Clint and I were talking about this on the way home from the movies last night, he was saying how he dreds the day Maddie comes home from school to ask to go to a dance. I don't look foward to those days at all!! I wish we can keep them young forever!! Love ya!!

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  2. I could not agree with you more on this. Taryn is 10 years old and I still do not allow her to go to those types of functions. She has friends whose parents take them to the local waterpark or the mall and just drop them off. Taryn asked me why the other day we did not do that with her and asked if we did not trust her. I very simply told her that I do trust her but it is her very naive side that I worry about. I explained there are so many things out there that she still does not know and I would like to be the one that teaches them to her not the rest of the world. I just remember so many times going into things blindly as a child and I want so bad that my children feel like they are prepared for things that are going to come their way.

    Love you, Alicia

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