- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Girls Gone Wild
Get Your Preteen Off the Fast Track
By Kelly Burgess
Part of the problem is our culture of parents being busy and overwhelmed, says Sells. He also names the media for modeling behavior that's inappropriate for preteenagers. Instead of just enjoying being kids, they want to be like the latest pop star or live their lives like the star of the evening teen soap. It seems very glamorous, and the media makes it seem normal and desirable. Sometimes the parents simply aren't able to counteract that negative cultural representation.
Gibson says she's been fighting with Jenna over how she dresses and the types of shows she wants to watch since she was at least 10. Complicating matters was the fact that, although Gibson may have wanted Jenna to dress more modestly, often the stores in their mall gave them very few choices that weren't provocative. Even when Jenna left for school in something as innocent as a T-shirt, she might come home with it rolled up almost to the bottom of her bra.
"I finally backed off on the clothes issue, simply because I kept reading books and articles that said not to make a big deal out of your child's appearance and to save the fights for the big things," says Gibson. "But everything seems like it's a big thing. She simply doesn't recognize the word no. If we ground her or punish her in some other way, she just laughs and says she doesn't care if she's grounded or doesn't have any money or TV or whatever. What makes me so sad is that she really doesn't [care]. If we take everything, she'll just sit around and stare at the ceiling."
