I absolutely agree with you Massive...thank you.
I was one of those children not allowed a childhood...made to be adult far too young, to worry about adult problems, to be exposed to things that (I think) no child should experience. It caused lasting issues that I still struggle with.
My son is 12, and I encourage and facilitate his being innocent for as long as possible. No, I'm not keeping him in the dark. We've talked about the fact that drugs and alcohol and cigarettes are all out there and things he should avoid and why. We've talked about sex, including the fact that this is something he isn't even remotely close to ready for. We've talked about the fact that there are people out there who will victimize children, and what to be aware of...and also that most people are mostly good and he needn't worry about this. He knows that I am here to protect him, provide for him, and deal with any issues he doesn't feel capable of addressing.
He plays with his dogs, builds with his legos, has lightsaber fights in the backyard, and builds forts with his friends. When he was little he also enjoyed trying on my shoes and jewelry and parading around the house. He doesn't do that anymore, but he still enjoys tea parties, and will instigate and host them for me.
He is sensitive, and knows that feeling is good, that crying is okay, and that both men and women are capable of doing anything they want to do and are willing to work hard at. But mostly, for right now, he is a child. And I want him to be a child for as long as possible. Innocence, once lost, is never regained...and there's a whole lifetime to be a grown-up.
