No. Television, cable tv, drug use, and oblivious parents watching adult movies and such at home while the children are present have taken care of that! Some five-year olds come to school knowing more than adults about “adult” activities before they know their abc’s and 123’s!

No. When were children really innocent? I think we see the past through rose-colored glasses.

The 50’s are often portrayed as an age of innocence – unless you were female or a minority. Anyone remember duck-and-cover drills?

Sometimes people remember, with fondness, the patriotism and goodwill during the war years, but look at how many men – husbands, fathers, brothers and sons – were lost. No family or community was untouched. And of course, if you were of Japanese ancestry, you may have found yourself in an internment camp. If you were of German or Italian ancestry, you may have been run out of town.

Even the depression seems like the “good ole days”, as portrayed in The Waltons. But The Grapes of Wrath tells and entirely different story. Abject poverty is no fun, even if everyone around you is poor, too.

Prior to that, children worked in factories, on the farm, or in the mines. What kind of childhood was that?

There has always been sexual assault. And alcoholism and drug abuse. It is not a province of our “modern” schools. Now, however, it is no longer hidden away. It is no longer seen as the “fault” of the victim.

That’s a loaded question, but in my opinion, yes. But there are many other factors involved too. Kids are definitely exposed to things like bad language, sexual information (to put it nicely), styles of clothing, attitudes, etc. that they wouldn’t get from home. I guess that’s always been the case, but because of the media and other societal influences on our youth today, the results are much worse and harmful. As an example, my son was sexually harassed in the 1st grade (!!) by another student. He didn’t even know what the person was saying until he asked me what it meant. I was embarassed at having to explain it, never mind that I had to witness his embarassment when he had to hear it from me. I thought kids could be kids a little longer, but I fear I was wrong.