The Sexualization of Early Childhood

My reaction to the topic of the sexualization of early childhood is that children are not truly taught how to value and respect who they are and others.  They are viewing the physical attractiveness of a person and determining the value of a person from that.  As an early childhood professional it is my duty to help each child see the value in themselves and in others. When they learn this very important aspect in life then they will understand in time how to relate value and respect in relationships.  Levin & Kilbourne (2009) states “sexualization has to do with treating other people (and sometimes oneself) as “objects of sexual desire . . . as things rather than as people with legitimate sexual feelings of their own.  When people are sexualized, their value comes primarily from their sex appeal, which is equated with physical attractiveness” (p. 4).

Three examples that further illustrate the exposure of young children to a highly sexualized environment are:    (1) Music videos with young girls dancing half naked using their bodies to help sell music.  (2) Television commercials advertising sexy lingerie such as Victoria’s Secret. (3) Television shows such as Toddlers and Tiaras having little girls dress up in make-up and look like grown women. 

Children are already curious about so many things in their environment because they are learning about their environment and surroundings, but when they are exposed to sexualization at such an early age they are easily confused and guided in the wrong direction and this can be very damaging to a child as they are learning and trying to develop a sense of self-identity.  “As children struggle to understand what they see and hear, they learn lessons that can frighten and confuse them” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 4).  As an early childhood professional I would respond to these concerns and reduce the negative impact on children by advising the parents to: Monitor what your child watch on television.  Teach them to play creatively using their mind.  Be mindful of the toys, clothing, and games you purchase for your child.  Teach and show your child true love and how to value relationships.  And, lastly what I feel is most important is to teach and encourage your children to have high self-esteem and self-worth.  Children need to be taught how to believe in themselves and not depend on others to define their worth.

My awareness of the sexualization of early childhood has been influenced greatly because I did not realize that children were exposed to so much in the category of sex at such a young age.  As an early childhood professional I now know that I must be ready to expect so much and to try to help lay a positive foundation for these children.  “Early childhood is when the foundation is laid, and that is where we need to start our efforts to understand and respond” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 5).

Reference

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction] So sexy so soon. The new sexualized

     childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine

     Books.Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf