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Please email me your full name and address at stephanieelliot@gmail.com so I can send you your book!
By Chad Kultgen
This one will get you talking. And I’m coming right out there and saying it’s not for the faint at heart, or however that saying goes. There’s a lot of sex in this one, and it’s a bit on the pornographic side. The first line is raunchy. I’m telling you like it is. Because stuff like Chad writes happens. If you’re brave enough to read a book like this, whether you agree with it or not, well, that’s what books are about. To get you thinking. There is a shock value to Chad Kultgen’s books. Maybe that’s why I like them. I don’t know. This is definitely out of the realm of the usual women’s fiction books I promote here. I like to shake things up.
This is one that’ll shake it up. If you're curious about the book more and want to have a discussion in the comment section, please ask questions -- I'll be happy to talk about it there.
Read the reviews and make the decision for yourself.
Here’s the amazon review I put up for Men, Women & Children.
I love Chad Kultgen's books. Yes, they may not be for everyone, but what I love about his writing is that he tells it like it is, and it's the real world. I have a son in eighth grade, and a daughter going in seventh, and I am very open with them. I am sure that the stuff that Chad writes about in Men, Women, & Children is happening in the real world today. I'm positive his "fiction" is fact and anyone who berates him for his writing must be crazy or in denial about the world around us. It's fiction but it's real. That's all I can say.
There is s#xting, there is pornography, young kids do the things that Chad writes about in his novels. I've been a fan of Chad's since The Average Adult Male and always, always look forward to his books. In fact, as I was reading Men, Women & Children, I could see this one as an HBO series - this is some great stuff, there's a sad element to his characters too, but it's real life, and real characters, but that's what I get in his novels -- the realness of what he writes. Anyone who does not like his work just doesn't live in the now.
To enter to win, tell me what you think about teens today – do you think technology (cell phones, Facebook, inappropriate shows in TV, internet access) is making them grow up faster than they deserve to be growing up. I definitely do. They have more access to things we never did. That’s one of the reasons I’m so open with my children. Because if they’re not going to hear it straight from me, they’re going to hear it from their friends and other kids, and they’re not going to hear the truth! That’s why I’m always talking to my kids about EVERYTHING!
If you don’t think this book is your thing, enter anyway, and give it to a man! A guy will LOVE to read it! : )
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Check previous book features to see who the winner is -- that's how you'll find out if you've won or not, and you can still enter if there's not a winner's name posted on the top and highlighted! I usually choose a winner for each book anywhere from 3-7 days after I post a feature!
Thanks for checking out the Fall Fab Giveaway – we’ve got more books coming your way through October. I'll be featuring 2-3 each week. At the end of ALL the individual books featured and given away, one or two lucky winners will win the WHOLE batch of the books.
If you’ve got particular questions on how the Giveaway works, check the ORIGINAL POST HERE, or feel free to email me! Thanks!
Good luck everyone! And I really enjoy your comments too!
Thanks for reading and being a part of this promotion! To find out all the details on how to participate throughout the whole promotion click the previous link!
I also blog at Real Moms Guide if you'd like to read some of my other work.
If you're new here, check out the rules and all the books at in the promotion HERE.
If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There.
Check previous book features to see who the winner is -- that's how you'll find out if you've won or not, and you can still enter if there's not a winner's name posted on the top and highlighted! I usually choose a winner for each book anywhere from 3-7 days after I post a feature!
Thanks for checking out the Fall Fab Giveaway – we’ve got more books coming your way through October. I'll be featuring 2-3 each week. At the end of ALL the individual books featured and given away, one or two lucky winners will win the WHOLE batch of the books.
If you’ve got particular questions on how the Giveaway works, check the ORIGINAL POST HERE, or feel free to email me! Thanks!
Good luck everyone! And I really enjoy your comments too!
Thanks for reading and being a part of this promotion! To find out all the details on how to participate throughout the whole promotion click the previous link!
I also blog at Real Moms Guide if you'd like to read some of my other work.
If you're new here, check out the rules and all the books at in the promotion HERE.
If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer it in the thread, or email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. It is always at my discretion to change things up, and because of some regulations, I guess I must say that the books I review are given to me by either the authors or publishers or publicists, and I am never paid for my reviews, and they are my own personal reviews, and you know what, because I'm here telling you this anyway, I will also tell you that I never review a book I don't like, because you know what, why waste my time, life is too short to read a crappy book! There.
83 comments:
I do think teens are growing up way to fast. I think it is a mixture of technology and our repressive views on sex here in the US. I work in a public library and am always shocked and how provocative some young girls are dressed. Not only that but do little girls really need padded bras and thong panties??? Or panties with suggestive words. Kudos to you manic for being open with your kids, if more parents were like you --- we would have less teens with STIs and unwanted pregnancies. Whew --- I will shut up now because I can go on forever on this subject!
I have a fourteen year old son so I can definitely see how fast kids are growing up. The fact that he is exposed to so much so early has been a topic for discussion so has the great amount of technology which he considers to be normal. I think every generation goes through that a little though. In my mothers day it wasn't acceptable for a girl to ask a guy out and by mine it was encouraged. As for technology my parents resisted the VCR as too high tech when it came out. That being said I still think it gets out of hand at times.
I don't worry about teens growing up too fast. I know some teens who have good, teen heads on their shoulders. What worries me more is what today's technology is doing to them - their failure to communicate face to face or voice to ear. So many teens, and now young adults, don't know how to carry on a simple conversation and they definitely don't know how to politely disagree with others. That is just one aspect of their shortcomings in communicating. Teens today do not write in complete paragraphs, sentences or even words. Text speak has become the norm, not the exception.
I would love to read this and am going to recommend it to my book group!
In one of my grad classes we talked about this. When kids (or anyone) talk so much with texting and things they lose their filters. This eventually spills over in the rest of their lives. I see huge problems with all the things kids have today.
Ally N
my three boys, like your children, told me almost everything. It was not always easy but I was so glad to have that relationship with them. They are now 33, 28, and 26, and still share freely. Now I will get to watch how they handle their children as they become tweens and teens.
I think the problem w/ today's teens is there is no accountability, no responsibility, no punishment. Kids today don't seem to be as respectful and they were when I was young. My mom constantly is talking about how kids behave on the bus she takes...their language and rudeness...and usually she is the one that has to give her seat up for the elderly...because the kids refuse to offer them theirs.
kathygold9778
I don't think today's lifestyle influences teens and makes them grow up too fast. As long as kids have strong role models, technology and tv don't matter.
I am super excited about this book. Thrilled that you are shaking things up a bit. I agree with Emma, I think the kids are ok. Maybe it's because I am still young that I think this but with the right role models kids will be fine. When my mom was little her parents thought their generation was going to hell in a handbasket because the schools integrated and they were listening to "jungle music". Now its Facebook, texting, whatever, and I am not saying it is all innocent, but the world changes and we change with it. There was a study done a few years back that showed that in the face of all kinds of negative things like poverty, low education, divorce, abuse etc., children are resilient. The study found that all they needed was 1 strong role model, didn't have to be a parent, to rise above. I think it is the same way with everything out there, kids just need someone to help them figure it out. Your kids will be fine Manic because you are that for them!
My step-son's girlfriend has texted him nude photos and pornographic videos. She's 16 and it breaks my heart that she thinks she has to go to those extremes to keep a boy's attention. So yes, I think technology has forced our children to grow up much faster than necessary.
I think kids do grow up too fast in some aspects and not enough in others. They may want to "look" more grown-up and have access to more grown-up things (cell phones, internet, etc.) but in the areas they need to grow up (accountability, responsibility, consequences to their actions, respectfulness) are seriously lacking. I don't necessarily feel its the technology, I really feel more like it's parents letting it be "ok" to have access to all this. They don't want their child to be without when all their friends have cell phones, or watch certain movies or tv shows, having rated M x-box games and wearing certain clothes. I'm not blaming them so much as figuring when we were young there wasn't nearly as much technology our parents had to oversee and parents now are overloaded with it. My children are young adults and it was really hard to decide when they were the right age to have access to or own certain things. Not to mention monitoring what their friends were "allowed" to have. It can be exhausting and easier to give in, which on occasion we did and would later regret.
Nicole
My little man is only 5 right now, and to see what teens are doing today, kinda scares me...ok, not kinda...it makes me terrified!! I can only imagine what I am going to have to deal with in just a few more short years!! The use of technology and social media for "children" is inappropriate on so many levels. Why the hell does any kid under the age of 18 need a facebook page?? They are together all day at school and the majority of them have cell phones now at the age of 8, so why do they need to tell the world about anything on facebook? Boggles my mind!! I hope that I can be as open about sex and other things with him so that he's not learning about it from hooligans at school that are doing things that they have no business doing!
Let me start by saying this is my perception of the teens I have contact with. I know not all teens are this way. I think that teens are smart...smarter that I ever was at their age. However, I think they they are slightly lazy. In a world of instant gratification, a lot of teens haven't had to work hard to get things they want or feel like they are entitled to things, be it large or small. I don't think they're growing up too fast, but they think they're adults and should be treated like adults when they're really just kids and should enjoy being kids.
Amy Goddard
I've got to say I worry less about how teens are handling technology then I worry about how parents are handling technology. I remember my teenage years fondly and I know I did everything I could get away with. I pushed the limits on clothes and curfews as much as any other teenager. What I think people have lost site of is it is a parents responsibility to monitor what their children are doing. Be it clothes, cell phones or facebook parents need to be on top of it and constantly setting and reenforcing boundaries and limits. I know my parents did and while I resented it at the time , I'm sure grateful for it in retrospect.
Oh gosh! Teens these days scare me!! and I was a teen too only four short years ago!! I was always the "good" girl and I was terrified of my mother (still am). Kids these days have no shame and they think they're grown, but then again so did I at that age. My fiance's niece is 12 years old and thankfully she sees me as the "cool" aunt as opposed to another adult. I told her she can talk to me about anything and ask me any questions she has. I can definitely still relate to what she went through and I really hope that she grows up "right". Her mom raised her well, but I remember the pressures that kids could place on each other.
Facebook doesn't help either (in my day it was Myspace). It's always "did you see what 'So and So' said on their page?" Or 'So and So' changed their relationship status". and don't even get me started on the pictures they post!!! Do these little girls go visit their grandmothers in those clothes and post for pictures with them like that?? I doubt it.
I would LOVE to read this book!!! It sounds amazing!
crystal717
i, too, think that kids are growing up way too fast these days.
it's really sad how much "sex" is sold in the entertainment and fashion industries and the worst part is that it's so readily accepted as the norm!
I don't have any, but, based on my friends who do, and, what I observe..teens today are scary. They are WAY more advanced than we were (mid-80's), and with all the social media outlets, there seems to be a much nastier side to teens. They're much more savvy than we were.
I remember when I was 8 years old, my grandpa sat my brother and I down at the kitchen table and told us we shouldn't have kids because he didn't like the way the world was changing for the worse. That was 23 years ago and neither my brother or I have kids yet (much to my mother's chagrin). Our significant others hate it that my brother and I don't know if we ever want kids, but with how teens feel they need to grow up so fast, I'm not sure I could handle it. Knowing my children wouldn't have the same innocent adolescence is tough to overcome. I'm sure I could be and would be a great influence, but it's such an unknown. The jury's still out on this one...
teens are growing up way too fast, and it's sad. what ever happened to childhood innocence?
I think teens are exposed to way too many things (phones, tv shows, internet, sex). But I think instead of growing up too fast, it's actually stunting their growth, because they're not mentally or emotionally prepared to handle what's being thrown at them. They think they're ready for it, but I think it's really just screwing them up for later in life.
I think they are growing up way too fast. Even compared to 10 years ago when I was a teen.
Qweska8402
I do worry about it..I have a 10 year old daughter who is already wearing bras for over a year. And to some of the commenters she has to wear the padded bras to hide some of the growth that is not hideable in a thin bra. But I sometimes wish that I had access to a lot of the stuff growing up, I didn't have parents who would talk or tell us anything and I had to hear it from my friends. Luckily I was able to figure out the fact from the fiction. It just scares me about the language in music, videos on line and how easy it is to share pictures. So yes, it does scare me that my daughter will be there soon.
I do think cell phones at a very young age (below high school level) isn't necessary. I feel like it makes them grow up too fast and encourages them to become distracted while in class. Same goes for facebook. I'm glad I was in college when fb first came out. I couldn't imagine being in high school and worrying about EVERYONE knowing my business via the internet.
Teens have it much harder today than we did. We had more freedom. I would be too worried about people posting things about me on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
I definitely think that teens are exposed to too much and thus growing up too quickly!
kndyer
Yes, I think they are growing up too fast. Generally speaking, I think they also lack respect and accountability. :-( Melissa Rem
Teens...how about my 7, 9 & 10yr old nieces & nephew who act more mature than I ever did at freaking 13!!! Not to mention a poor co-workers daughter who started her period @ 9!! Poor thing, still in elementary school with that burden!!! :( Growing up too fast is part of today. It's just sad to see it before my very eyes.
I agree that they are growing up too fast. I also that teens lack respect and accountability.
My son just went into Jr. High this year and what do I think about teenagers? Let me just say the whole "teenage thing" scares the crap out of me! The stuff I'm hearing that goes on in school today is stuff I can't repeat here. I worry every single day when I drop my son off at school. It is NOT a fun time. That being said, his dad and I are very much aware that kids nowadays have a LOT to deal with and we are slowly making sure the lines of communication are WIDE open. Anywhooooo...sign me up for this book! Sounds like a radical change from what I've been reading lately. Take care Manic! Nan
Yeah times have changed as they always will--yes teens are growing up faster but the world is moving faster--when you take a step back and look at the entire picture-the teens fit into today's world --just think if you denied them TV, ipods, computers,cellphones--sure they would be slower ,have less friends,probably will not get into college do to lack of technology, and have a hard time getting a job not to mention how naive they will be when they enter the real world--so yeah it sucks but they are just fitting in to the world we made. Give them a break and like the others have said keep the conversations open --talk about everything and every so often make the entire family unplug and just breath.
Sherry V
I do think teens are growing up too fast. I live in Chicago and my church only has young kids, so I'm not as involved with teens as I was in Ohio. But the teens I see on the buses are wearing clothing and saying things that are much much too grown up for them. ID Eloisepeaches
I definitely think in today's world, kids grow up too fast. Way too fast! With all the technology they have access to, with the raunch they show on TV shows (ie Gossip Girl--which I like & watch, but if I had young teenage children they WOULD NOT be watching it I don't think), and the clothes they wear, I don't understand why more parents aren't talking more to their children and monitoring more closely what they wear, watch, and do in their spare time. Again, don't want to judge too harshly as both of my kids are young so I don't really know what it's like to have teenage children, but I'm hoping my kids stay as young as they can for as long as they can!
I think teenagers are growing up way to fast. If they don't have the access to the internet at home they get the info from friends at school. To much information.
I think the issues are mostly the same as when I was a teenager, but the technology is different, so it adds a whole new (scary) level to things. Bulling takes on a new meaning when it is cyber bulling. Being sexual with your boyfriend is different when he can forward the picture you sent him to the whole school. But I also agree that being open with your kids and strong parenting can raise great kids, no matter what is happening in society.
I definitely thing that teens are growing up way to fast these days. I definitely think that technology and tv has made the teens grow up faster. I also think that back in the day not every parent had to work nowadays it seems like both parents have to work and that give the teens more freedom to do what they want. They do not have any responsibility or accountablity for anything they do. facebook doesnt help with the teens as well!!!
I have 3 teenage daughters and I agree 100% that kids grow up way to fast these days. The technology not only leads them to growing up faster, but also connects them to so many different people, which exposes them to so many more influences. I am open with my girls and talk to them about everything. I would rather have an open relationship with them, than having them feeling they have to hide things from me. Some times I really hate technology and the social media, and other times I love it.
Teens don't care any more. They do what ever they want. They also cannot spell or speak proper English!
We call the teens Prostitots because they all look like hookers! They need to wear appropriate clothes!
Teens are definitely growing up too fast. Kids don't fully understand the impact their actions can have and today's technology allows bad decisions to spread like wildfire among their peers. It is very scary and I'm very nervous about raising teenagers!
~Colbey J
I definitely think teens are exposed to way too much way too early. I'm a RN in a NICU (neonatal ICU) and it scares me that I'm only mildly surprised at a baby with a 14 year old mother and a 15 year old mother doesn't even cause me to think twice. It's literally babies taking care of babies. Too often it smells of kids playing house, unfortunately there is a REAL baby involved.
Kristi Hooke
They drive me nuts. I don't remember acting that way. I fear for the future. TaraUB in IN
I'm a substitute teacher at a local High School, and I get to hear all sorts of things, because I blend into the "wallpaper". Yes, kids are growing up too fast today. And yes, technology is partly to blame. As a kid, we would go outside, and play. And come home when we heard Mom yelling it was dinner time. Granted, it's not the same "world" as it was back in the "good old days", but kids don't interact with each other on a personal level. I think they are lonely, because of this and will do just about anything, not to be lonely. It's a shame that they think that "hooking up" isn't anything special. Girls give it away without thinking about their future.
That being said, I have two girls, 22 and 18, and I think they've turned out okay.
definitely teens are growing up too fast, for reasons too numerous to list
I believe that all the social networking and texting etc. has contributed to teen bullying, recent suicide locally in williamsville, ny realted to bullying,very, very sad
I don't think kids are "growing up" faster, I think they're being exposed to more and imitating it, just as kids (teens) always have.
The thing now is what they're being exposed to is much more dangerous and explicit. I was a teen 5 years ago and I can already see a difference between what I grew up with and what my younger cousins are growing up with.
teens are no more emotionally equipped to deal with the effects of their actions than they were 10-20-100 years ago.
Yeah, I think that kids are growing up way too fast because of technology. There is a problem with 10 years old having cell phones and a facebook! I remember when facebook was only for college students.
Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com
I do think that teens and even younger are growing up to fast, but look at what the media puts out there. Teen mom, Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan etc. You really have to talk, talk, talk to them. I always answered my kids questions honestly, even if I was embarrassed at what they asked, and even if they got grossed out at the answers.
Teens are drama queens. I don't ever remember being that dramatic as a teen. Or if I was, I didn't have Facebook to share my drama with the world.
Melissa A from CLC
I tried for as long as I could to keep things away from my daughter.
She's now 13 and I believe that she knows right from wrong. Hopefully this will continue through high school and college.
kyfaithw at aol dot com
My daughter still plays with barbies occasionally at the age of 10. We like to keep it that way for a little longer, let her still be a child. She knows about certain things that go on in a relationship, we have a fairly open relationship about it with the kids. We just watched Law and Order about a 13 year that was pregnant, thats 3 years away from us, and it scares us to death! She knows right from wrong and we have always told her and her brother come to us first for advice.. and I hope they do..
I remember that as a teenager I was very naiive. I wish that I had the technology the teenagers have today. I think I would have been more "with it".
-Donna W.
Hadn't heard of this author and have to say I'm very intrigued. My kids (ages 10 & 12) are on the cusp of teendom and I am nervous. I have always been open & communitcative with them about any topic and hope that will be helpful in guiding them to make good choices. I also try to limit their technology and get a lot of "but so-and-so has one." They're still aware of and exposed to a lot in the media and via friends. I try to use those things as talking points. Despite the technology that kids use, I wonder if every generation of parents feels their kids are growing up too fast?
Jen9476
I think they are growing into automatons. With Computers joined to their hips, so to speak, the world is losing the ability to interact face to face.
Kids and teens are definitely growing up much faster today.
I am a social worker, and always just when I think I have seen it all and heard it all, I get a case with a pregnant 12 year old. 12 today, is not the same 12 of the
80's. It just isn't. Lord knows the LAST thing I was thinking about at 12 was sex or how to keep my boyfriend! I do believe it has a lot to do with technology, and over exposure, and how much more is shown on primetime basic cable tv - you used to only be able to see that stuff on channels like HBO! But that said, I also believe that many parents set too few boundaries and don't monitor their children or make points to meet/know their children's friends' parents like before. Some just assume their kids will come to them if they have questions, so they don't bring things up or present a safe environment for that kind of open communication. Kudos to those that do! It can have much more of an impact than some think! That could be the conversation that a child or teen carries with them as their guide... you never know. Just a thought.
I, too, am pretty open with my daughter but she's only 9 so we haven't had the talk yet thank goodness. I feel like kids right now totally over-share on the internet.
-tmd636
I don't know if I hate teens today as much as I hate their parents. I'm aware, this is a broad statement & will probably get me in troulbe, but:
Parents today think they are so busy and don't spend the necessary time to raise their teens. They are so focused on their own "me" time that they forget about getting those kids on the right track.
I think teens are being exposed to too much too soon. our society is so open with sex and it's no longer taboo. we are an instant gratification society and the internet is helping this.
Carie
It is what it is, people. I think open communication is the only way to go and hope for the best. cindyinmiami writeoncindy@yahoo.com
I have been a therapist working with teens until recently, and I feel like nothing is off-limits anymore because everyone can look up whatever they want on the internet. Teens have always been suckers for shock value, though, and I think a lot of what they do and say is about bravado and reaction-getting. The consequences are real and scary, though. I love your let's-talk-about-it attitude, Stephanie!
My son is 13 and I agree kids grow up way too fast! He talks about having a girlfriend and all this stuff and I tell him no he needs to wait he can have friends that are girls but no on the girlfriend front. It is very hard though because of so much peer pressure. I'm not looking forward to my daughter being a teenage because that is going to be alot of work!!!
I do think teens are growning up way to fast. They are exposed to so many things now that we weren't back in the day. They have to deal with cyberbullying and the pressure of having to grow up way to fast...I'm glad I'm not a teen now. I think it would be way more stressful now a days then it was when I was younger.
I'm a teacher and I think kids are growing up WAY too fast. I remember being a kid as one of the most innocent times in my life. Now a days kids know too much and are exposed to way too much. The students at my elementary school (K-5) look like miniature adults, and try to act like them too. It's a crazy world. I hope that when I have my own children someday I can protect them as much as possible.
-Philly5
I certainly think that teens think they are grown up way before they actually are. They may be doing grown up things but they are not grown up.
Carly H
I think teens have much less social skills.
queenofcrunk at gmail dot com
Teens are growing up before they are even teenagers. Pre-adolescents know more than teens did in the 80s when I grew up! I think it is sad in many ways, BUT there is also no going back.
I totally agree. Today we want kids to still be kids while they can however they are becoming more like adults with cell phones etc. We are to blame though for a certain extent because it is the parents who have allowed them to be like this. My husband is quite strict. You want a cell phone or what ever get a job and work for it! Teens are extremely lazy and we have allowed them to be so.
Margaret(singitm)
I definitely think kids are growing up too fast today, and I talked to my kids about everything too. My kids are still young, but I have already started talking to them about certain things now maybe by the time they are older it will be so drilled into their heads that they will remember.
I do think our american society makes kids grow up too fast and that it is important to be open with your children so they will come to you when faced with tough decisions. My parents were never open with me about any of the "tabou" topics so I never went to my mom to talk about things and still to this day the mention of sex in front of her is strange and I'm married with kids!
Teens are way more exposed to things they shouldn't be much earlier in life now. I'm very worried about the teenage years for my kids. &'my sanity! :)
Yes, I definitely agree! I can't believe how teenagers are these days...and how old I feel saying that!! I don't really think facebook, texting and all of that stuff is good for kids...they get exposed to so much and are way too advanced, in a not so good way.
ChristinaL
I definitely think teens today are growing up too fast. In fact, as I was listening to the song "Last Friday Night" by Katy Perry on the drive to work this morning, I kept thinking about all the "tween"-aged girls and beyond that listen to and bop along to this song, quoting the lyrics on facebook and text messages and whatever else...quoting things like "is this a hickey or a bruise" without possibly being able to know what those things are...and then the inevitable asking of the friends/acquaintences/kids in front of you on the bus what a hickey is...I don't know, it's all so...ADVANCED.
Emily116
I do think technology and all that technology exposes our teens to is making them grow up to fast. They want to emulate what they see .... and they see a lot!
I think teens are growing up faster because of all the exposure to everything. They get stuck with society painting a picture of what they're supposed to do because of facebook and the internet in general. They see what their friends are doing and copy it, and everyone else is copying older people.
I think teens and children in general are growing up way too fast but not neccessarily because of technology. I think sometimes that parents are pushing teens to grow up and be too independent and it may not be the independence that they need or want at the time. But I also feel even though I was the generation before this one that I grew up pretty fast too.
Katie in Indy
I think as a parent, all you can do is try to find a balance..... some would say that my kids are sheltered, but I feel I am pretty open with them. I don't lie to them. I do feel though, my younger two are not as sheltered due to having two older siblings... my kids are 15, 14, 9, & 7 1/2.
My daughter has a purity ring and my son has committed to it, but doesn't have a ring... we are very involved in our church....
I also find it tough to balance instilling modesty without making them ashamed of their body...
fourkidsmom4@gmail.com
Brenda Bargenquast
I swear I answered this one, but now I can't find my answer. If I'm just missing it, you can disregard this one. YES! teens are growing up way to fast. The world is so different even from when I was a teen 20 years ago. (Ouch) I can't imagine all that goes through their heads with all the tv, internet, etc that they have available to them. Even simple things like calling that boy you have a crush on have changed. Thanks to caller ID, there is no more calling and hanging up just so you can hear his voice. Not that I ever did that! Haha! The best we can do is be open and honest with them. I hope to build that trust with my girls so they know it is safe for them to come to me about anything. I only have a few years until my oldest hits her teen years!
Terri M.
I think no matter what it is all about the parenting.
Do I think kids are growing up too fast? Yes! I think it is a parents job to keep it under control, but there are so many outside influences that it is difficult to keep our kids, kids.
Based on watching my nieces (14 and 17), and their same-aged friends, and how my sister, and the friends' parents all deal with these issues - the clothes, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter, dating, language, etc.....It is just as much about the(se) parents not being grown up, accountable - and by extention, not holding their children accountable for their behavior.
I listened to parents making teen-age-like excuses for everything from why their child was getting bad grades (the teacher didn't know how to teach, he was too busy drinking coffee, having an affair with another teacher - to, the child wasn't turning in homework, wasn't testing well)...all this in front of the child. The child was 'punished' for bad grades by having her cell phone taken away. When she was caught on Twitter it was explained away as "oh, she gets 15 minutes of supervised phone time, but dad fell asleep...and she was having a good conversation with the friends she's had trouble with, and she just had to post this positive tweet because it had gone so well..." - The teen has no need to make up excuses, the PARENT does that well enough for her!!!!
Technology is ahead of parents who allow it to happen. Consistent, logic-based parenting, with lots of love and time involved, can overcome Facebook and a cell phone even now.
I definitely think kids are growing up WAY too fast! After teaching middle school I have seen it first hand. Kids have so much more freedom than most would think. They have so many more oppprtunities, both good and bad, than I ever did. Personally I really miss the days where a kid was able to be a kid longer. (Selfishly so, I have a 7 year old daughter who is already growing up too fast. I want to keep her little for as long as I can. :)
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I agree that they are growing up too fast. It amazes me some of the things I hear out of their mouths. They say things at twelve years old that I never even thought about until I was sixteen. It scares me knowing that my daughter is going to be a teenager in a few years and it is only going to get worse.
I think teens are growing up faster nowadays becuase they are exposed to more. But I also think that it is possible to still raise teens to know boundaries and just because others are doing it/watching it/saying it doesn't mean it is ok.
Teens may be growing up faster today, but with the right guidance that may not be such a bad thing. The world can be a harsh place and coddling kids does them no favors, either. Like everything in life, it's all about balance. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of the book. (krstrpp at hotmail dot com)
Well, I don't actually think this is likely to have effect.
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