The Sexualization of Early Childhood
Sexualization in early childhood is something that many pre-schoolers are
exposed to on a regular basis these days.
They see images of sexualized behavior in videos, at stores, on
television, and even in some cartoons.
It is sometimes difficult to keep your child away from such images
because they are everywhere. Young
children do not fully understand all of what they see and hear, but they try to
figure it out. Sexualized images have a
huge influence on what children think about their bodies and being a girl or a
boy. This also has an effect on what
they want to do and what they choose to wear.
Young children may also be confused about how relationships should
be.
I have come to realize that girls are entering
puberty at much younger ages now than in the past. In my own experiences personally and
professionally there are sexualized images everywhere which children are exposed
to. For example, children have access to
sexual websites, movies that are rated x, or even environments where adults
have no respect for children and will do almost anything in front of them,
thinking they do not understand.
Children watch and listen to adults and many times do what they see
adults doing, sometimes positive and sometimes negative. These images impact young children in
negative ways. Sometimes both boys and
girls feel this is how you should act, dress, talk, etc., in order to feel
loved and appreciated. It makes them
become sexually promiscuous at very young ages. Teachers can read books where the male and
female characters have a huge range of various emotions and experiences. For example, girls can be strong and boys can
be thoughtful. Activities should be
planned that helps to encourage firs and boys to play together. “Children need a safe place to process what
they see and hear in a sexualized media culture”. (DeWitt, 2008)
Children need safe places in
which to process the things they hear and see.
Environments should be created where children can make sense of the
world in which they live. Teachers
should show children that they are interested in what they are doing, what they
are talking about and how they feel.
DeWitt, S. (2008). Remote
control childhood: Combating the hazards of media culture. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
