Who is to blame? Society has placed pressures to create an environment where parents no longer feel responsible for bringing up their children how they see fit. How are we accountable when we accept young girls look at glamour models as a profession, footballers wives or the lifestyle of a pop star?
The culture surrounding young girls and women is the very need why we require professional role models to widen their life choices, career aspirations and support their development rather than easy money culture through fame and glory. Role models are scarce, like apprenticeships for young girls, despite the report published by the Department of Education, Children will be Children, by Reg Bailey, the chief executive of the Mother's Union, the Christian charity. Many have made commentary on the lack of substance, the findings are only confirm the need to be responsible further, set the boundaries and make us all accountable as part of the modern society and culture. The report is an independent review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood, how far is it from the truth? We subconsciously accept it as part of modern living but there some aspects our moral judgement plays to prevent it.
The lack of female role models is a concern and how we address alternative opportunities? We too have obligations, we need to remind ourselves young people can make life a success without always resolving into pop culture, reality TV shows or genetically modified pop stars thanks to Cowell. The truth beyond these glamour lifestyles, soul searching a quick way for children to grow up for a sense of money, fame and commercial success through monetary items of value. Rap videos display glamour, fast cars, clubs, the music industry are readily available for young people, portraying glamourous living and absorb it from an early age.
How the media puts more emphasis on Cheryl Cole's hairs styles and her day to day movement on making her career in America only reinforces to children this is what we should focus on. Commercialisation, through media is not the key to success, academia, skills and apprenticeships for young people, supported by career advisers, role models and mentoring schemes can be an approach to supporting young girls and boys of their aspirations.
So letting children be children, we should not shy away from them experiencing adulthood and understandably the sense of maturity and responsibility that goes with it; money in the current economic climate and value education. Historically children went to work in coal mines rather than have the opportunity to learn and achieve at school until school reforms, children worked extremely hard with no technology and gadgets or pop concerts to entertain them.There's not a cross class divide on sexualisation of children as all classes experience the same commercial products and exposure.
It's defining what values are and what is acceptable for our children to develop into has seriously changed through commercial exploitation, behaviour and acceptance of young people, and their attitudes. The Government will call a summit in Autumn with retailers, advertisers, broadcasters, media and music industry to discuss progress, I hope it works.
