By Sophia Machaira,
The argument that the younger generation is maturing too quickly is as old as time itself. It is commonly considered that the youth “does not know how to behave”, to dress appropriately, and the list goes on and on. The adults who complain about the issue focus on the drastic differences from the childhood they had experienced. But are these concerns valid, or are they just exaggerated nostalgia?
It is clear that access to the internet from an early age changes the way children learn from and about the world. One major reason is the viewing of inappropriate information and media. Another change it causes regards social structures and how kids perceive themselves. More specifically, social interactions are often limited behind a screen and the endless stream of content can be overwhelming.
You may be asking yourselves; how does this happen? Well, for starters, while some platforms have age restrictions for adult content, most of the time there is nothing stopping a child from consuming media meant for older teenagers. At the same time, social media may try to promote products that play on insecurities, such as makeup or other skincare products. The sad thing is… this was not always the case. The rise of the internet has helped advertisements reach out to more people than ever before and in smarter ways than ever before.
When was the last time someone used the term: “tween”? It refers to a youngster considered too young to be a teenager and too old to be called a child. So, instead, they are in the “be-tween” phase. Around the 2000s, there was a clear section of the market meant for tweens, as well as movies and TV series. Yet, with every generation wanting to “grow up” faster and faster, the media and products grew less and less popular. This also resulted in the term not being used as frequently.
Should this be considered a bad thing? The loss of innocence, the illusion of control and understanding of the world around them says yes. However, our fast-paced society begs to differ. It is difficult to give a straight answer to such a complicated topic. One could argue that there should not be so much external pressure to skip the awkward phase where a young person is just discovering their interests. It is okay to still be learning. It is fair to say that a social media site’s algorithm is not beneficial to this process, for it can lead to an echo chamber where the child thinks that everyone online agrees with their opinions. When, in reality, the algorithm only caters to their existing beliefs.
Based on mouth-to-mouth conversations, some find it easy to blame the parents and call it a day. Someone juggling between work and parenting is difficult. They are aiming to provide for a household and find little to no time for themselves, yet they are expected to constantly supervise their children without being too controlling. The parents’ plate is full and with little to no guidelines. To keep away their kid from the phone would isolate them and set them up to be bullied.
The key lies in balance. A kid, tween, or teenager should be treated with respect, as an equal and not someone mentally inferior. Of course, they are not familiar with all the concepts and terms an adult knows by heart. This is exactly why they should be sat down and thoroughly explained the meaning behind advertisements, social media consumption, that it is okay to be unsure about decisions and hobbies without feeling the need to grow up too fast. These are delicate years in the development of their personality traits, and it would be a shame to waste them with instant gratification and focus on ultimately meaningless things.
To wrap things up, tween media will most likely not return any time soon. Childhoods will always feel like they are slipping away too quickly compared to the older generations. It is simply a sign of the times. Memories will still be made and cherished later down the line – they will just be different than ours.
References
- teenagers don’t exist anymore (youth culture and third spaces). youtube.com. Available here
- Where Have All The Tweens Gone? youtube.com. Available here
