Do people consider children to be lesser beings?

Question

It seems many people still have a lot of ideas that children are somehow inferior to adults which I personally believe is not the case. Children do not cause any problems in the world, the world(ran and owned by adults) causes the problems for them.

I think it's time people stop treating children like they are lesser beings and start letting children use their brain for once. Children are not as stupid as people think they are, but when you do not allow a person to think for themselves or use their brain, then of course the results are that of someone who is naive and clueless.

We need to stop teaching kids to always obey adults, that is what sets them up for abuse in the first place. They need to know to defend themselves. We need to stop telling them to "respect their elders" and we need to stop telling them that they're inferior because of their age. Respect is earned, not handed to you based on age. If people care about children, then they should start giving them a voice

Answer 1

I disagree with you - children cannot have the same rights as adults because they need protected against certain situations.  The reason the law says a child cannot enter a contract is because the child has not developed - literally has not developed - enough to understand fully what it would be entering into, and therefore could be manipulated.  The same reason is used for people who are old and suffer from dementia, or who are insane.  It is for protection that we do not let adults have s*x with children - again because their mind and body has not developed and they can be taken advantage of.  To make children equal would remove their protection rights and sexual abuse, financial abuse and exploitation would occur.  Children would be expected to work again rather than to obey adults by going to school - to earn money to live on their own, to cook their food, to provide for themselves - all this is moving backwards in society rather than forwards.  Your argument is simply immature because you haven't considered the consequences of what you ask - that is specifically why adults need to protect children: because they don't always understand the consequences of their actions.  I could go on with a LOT of other examples.

However, yes, children, just like old people are taken advantage of my adults and some adults abuse their ability to control children.  But that doesn't mean because of some rotten people, we throw away all the rules!  Discipline is necessary for children and young people - not to control them, but to protect them - when you live to be as old as me and see what the world can do when there's no protection, you will understand why rules are important growing up.  Sure, rules can be challenged - and some should be - but if there's a good reason to have them, the rules should stay.  If you love your parents - and know your parents truly love you, you'll obey them because you'll know they are trying to protect you - if you can challenge their rules and reach a compromise, they are respecting you - if you siply disobey them without reasoning out why, you're still a child who needs rules.

Answer 2

i think that until IQ and EQ tests are mandatory prior to breeding - we are ALWAYS going to have idiot parents around -

not always idiot parents either - once in kindergarten children are taught to:  not talk, not think, listen, behave, sit now, sit here, sit over there - only answer when asked, raise hand to answer, ask to go to the bathroom, etc

and thats just the public schools, private school is only worse -

if you really want to make a difference, be at stay at home mom and home school your children - you will RARELY find a babysitter and NEVER a daycare that will take care of your child the way a good parent does

Answer 3

I agree with you 100%. However, that sort of teaching needs to be handled delicately. Children can be taught to question, however need to ascertain the difference between questioning and defiance (we don't want them to go to jail & we want them to learn to work together). Difficult, but not impossible. I think that today's children are taught to use their brains from a very young age - 1,2 - and its amazing what can be accomplished if only we give them the chance.

Answer 4

Children should have some say in things like what they wear how they want thier hair cut you knwo simple things at  least till they can read and comrehend but I thik a lot of it is parents being protective becasue the instaict to protects ones off spring is the most basic one we have. Granted  we don't want 8 year olds to go and get a job they should go to school but  and follow rules but oen taht make since like  sit for now and work on your paper adn then you can talk quietly or something like that. Schools are places of learning not brainwashing factories although some seem that way

Answer 5

Kids have less experience in life and it is mostly safer for them to obey adults and follow rules. I dont believe children to be inferior, simply younger and therefore less experienced to deal with things. I love my child, she's only 2 and a half, she is far from inferior, she's the light of our lives.

Edit* I get what you're saying, but I dont know what people are supposed to do about it, that's just the way society is. Would I respect a 16 year old girl who studies hard and leads a good life more than a 30 year old drug addict? Sure! Honestly who DOES respect crappy examples of adults i.e. criminals (well maybe other criminals do... lol)

Answer 6

I think Children need guidance, love and nurture. If this is done in a way that encourages a child to make it's own decisions and think for itself then you get the best of both worlds. Children's opinions and feelings should be listened to by those responsible for them so they can protect and minimise risk whilst letting them have some independence to grow and develop

Answer 7

You don't have any kids, do you?

Answer 8

Amen to that. Adults are just big kids that learned how to drive and pay bills.

Answer 9

Sing it loud and proud, girl! Chyeaaa!