by Curtis Gordon

Created on: May 21, 2007   Last Updated: June 11, 2010

It is not difficult to relate the source of the 'mean' attitudes and rudeness of not only girls, but boys of teen age, and younger children as well. What we find today is that the majority of children, that is more than 90% of children in American households, are watching T.V.

What are they watching on television? Usually adult themed sitcoms, adult oriented drama series, or adult restricted movies. Even if this is not the case, most of the shows that are currently on television are no longer G-rated. Shows rated PG-13, that is for kids older than 13, are quite filled with vulgar cursing, sexual innuendos, and rude humor.

These same kids that are watching these shows identify with the characters they idolize in their favorite shows. So instead of wanting to grow up to be like Mom or Dad, they want to be like like the Brats, or some other socially divisive show that promotes discrimination by the 'popular' and 'beautiful' girls against those girls they think of as being not at their 'level'.

Clothing lines, shoes, makeup, jewelry, handbags, book-bags, cellphones, and every other accessory that can be worn attached to clothes, or the body makes a statement. These statements are the 'currency' of school society. If you're not wearing the most popular clothes and gear, you're not popular, and that means you can be a target of ridicule so they won't be, or because at some point in their past, they were.

The social skills children learn in this day and age are not passed down from parent to child, but rather absorbed by the child from outside sources they encounter in the day to day environments. They pick up cursing, lying, cheating, stealing, and every other bad habit in school. They transfer the frustration, anger, and rage at being pressured, ignored, or otherwise tormented during school by 'peers' or the pressures of appeasing their classmates.

School is where children suffer their worse humiliations, greatest achievements, or learn how to cope with the frustrations that cannot be otherwise offloaded. Being unable to talk openly with parents is the main reason for this. If one were able to reverse the drift, and close the gap of communication, one would be able to uncover the issues that are causing a daughter (or son) the most pain. Open up and share some of your childhood memories, and remember how trapped your felt.

Recall, relate, reassure. Be there for your child. It will make a world of difference.

Guidance.

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