I disagree, LO. - H

Well, in response to Lee's post about loss of childhood, I would have to say I disagree. What I notice about the teens these days is that they are clamoring to fill their "resumes" with all sorts of activities that might help them get into college or to have a leg up on the next person. So, between the school clubs and sports teams, the umpteen honors and AP courses they are taking both during the school year and during the summers, the mounds of homework they have as a result, the volunteer activities they are involved in, the music lessons, the extra tutoring sessions, the special summer academic programs, the SAT courses, and work (to mention a few), I don't see when they have the time to simply smell the roses, as it were, to enjoy a day playing at the park with friends, guilt free. It's not too different from us adults in the working world, I suppose, maybe a reflection of the "real world." Some of us barely have time to read our (e)mail and make time to just hang out and pass the time with our friends. It's the same trend at least at my high school, and I don't think this is a unique case.

It's telling that there are now commercials on TV promoting programs to twelve year olds to help them get ahead now and start preparing for college. I don't think parents in the past were quite as worried about getting their children on the right track beginning from preschool , but that's the general sense now. "Every little thing counts. Start as early as you can." We're turning out machines that can finish a job, not people. Is this what we're aiming for?