Looking at the two 9 year old girls competing with each other in the screen, where both trying their very best not in performing their skills but to act like an adult, showing the so called high self confidence by insulting one and another’s performance, claiming themselves to be of the higher level, we couldn’t help it but to shake our heads. Seriously, the children these days often come in packages, from the adult-like physical appearance minus off body figure, to the abilities in various fields such as singing, dancing and even mimicking. It is as though meeting the criteria above has become the only way to ensure children’s brighter future; otherwise, they do not survive or stand out among the crowd. Come to think of it, how often do we not attracted to the children who start showing incredible dance moves on stage and winking non-stop as though all opposite sex will for sure fall for them? How often do we actually look at a child and be amazed by him or her for being ordinary and living a normal childhood life, instead of attending different classes for academic and performing arts at the age of 5? Somehow it seems to be great to have children behaving like adults, both appearance and ability wise, with less thoughts given to them behaving like children can be great too. Is this a form of condition to prove how advanced we human beings are, by having the children acting like adults and adults continue behaving like one too? Is commercialising the only way to be outstanding and bring happiness to children, or it is the fastest way of getting us the adults big bucks and fame instead? We may be saying how well we know our children, we might be trying to convince them on the benefits they are getting in the future simply by following our sayings and we probably be telling many others we are simply doing it for the well being of the children. Nevertheless, their thoughts should be taken into account as it is their lives we’re making decision for, not just any of wooden puppet we created out of woodblock.
