"I do it myself!" We've all heard our toddler say something along these lines, or maybe it was just some toddler in the grocery store. That breech and stretch of freedom mixed with a mild dose of attitude. And while it's easy to laugh it off as the toddler's obviously poor coordination overtakes them amidst their stubborn nature, their words hit like a spreading epidemic in our culture.
Have you noticed the commercials? Have you noticed the expectation shift?
Kids are portrayed more and more in sitcoms, comedies, kid's shows, and commercials as rebellious individuals. And we laugh at the irony and somehow have trained ourselves to find the humor in the rebellion. I think it started somewhere as a "help me" laugh. You know, one of those laughs that is almost a plea asking the fellow participant to intervene. One of those partially embarrassed laughs.
I'm finding, through the joy of raising a toddler, that many kids are getting stuck in their toddler stage. Every kid has a wonderfully selfish side - welcome to the Fall-out, right? But there is a difference between autonomy and rebellion. Our culture has seemed to laugh where the lines have gotten muffled.
It's like that familiar saying, "things just aren't like they used to be." While progress is a good thing, slowly spiraling out of control is (clears throat) less desirable.
The kids shows now highlight and exemplify the role model as the one who has the sarcastic come-backs. Glamorizing the ability to cut someone else down with your words and rebel. So what's the result? Those pre-teen attitudes get themselves trapped in admiring first-grade bodies.
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