Blog by Sean Gehon, Friday, February 16, 2007

Sixteen years ago I was sitting in my kindergarten class at F.W. Gilbert Elementary School in Pinawa, Manitoba. My thoughts ranged from reading to writing and what it would be like to run as fast as Cheetara from Thundercats. I would spend my days running around the playground with my friends, playing Super Mario Bros. on my Nintendo Entertainment System, and having naps with my pet dog, Cocoa. Life was so much easier and a lot more fun when you barely had a care in the world. While watching Rachael Ray, I came across an interesting change in the kids of today. When asked the question, “Would you rather be dumb or fat?” The five year old little girls replied that they would rather be dumb.

I can’t recall a time in my childhood that I was concerned about my weight. The youth of today should have a lot more on their minds than how skinny they may appear. Is weight really that much of an issue? I’m an advocate of eating right, exercising and taking care of your body. Certainly that’s not an issue that a five-year-old should be concerned about.  That’s why they have parents! There’s certainly a line between healthy and fat. I would love to know who put the idea in anyone’s head, that skinny is the most beautiful thing to be.

Some of the most beautiful women in the world, in my opinion, aren’t necessarily the skinniest. Salma Hayek, Beyonce Knowles and Mandy Moore are all viewed as attractive, successful women in the entertainment business, and are they your expected size zero for a Hollywood starlet? Certainly not. Does that make them any less beautiful? Hell no! There’s really only one group of people to blame for the negative self images that children have these days, and that’s the new generation of parents.

Kids have always been shaped by the morals and life lessons taught to them by their parents or guardians. At the age of five, where else are kids learning this from? I’m not saying all parents are bad or that they aren’t doing their jobs, but it’s certainly their responsibility to control what their kids are reading, watching, or being told from outside sources. There’s really something that needs to be understood by the world - people under the age of sixteen (even sixteen is a stretch), shouldn’t be thought of as sexy. Unless you’re of legal age, or in a serious relationship, feeling sexy should be the least of your worries. Youth is the time to enjoy such things as having your cake and eating it too, waiting to pig out on Christmas Day, or spending your allowance on candy. Sure you need your fruits and vegetables too, but that’s why you have parents to make sure you grow up healthy, safe, and self confident.

I guess it's just time to turn this world around. We’re heading in such a negative direction in terms of behaviour, expectations, and social norms that I barely understand the world anymore. Kids are supposedly the future of our planet… if this is the way we’re preparing our future, I’m not entirely sure I want any part of it.

Racheal Ray has certainly opened my eyes up with this segment of her program, and I’m going to do my best to be a better role model for the youth of today. Whether they’re five years old or fifteen years old, we all need a good role model.

Sean (I’m going to go have some chocolate.)

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