Of Parents and Kids

so, i've got these young girls in my dance class (me being a late-starter) and what else do girls do when they get together? they talk. and lately i've been a bit disturbed by the talk. they compare notes on how drunk their fathers became over christmas, they discuss the difference in calories between the various foods, and are proud that their butts are smaller than the younger ones.

guess how old they are?

nine.

what happened to childhood? what happened to talking about polly pockets and stuffed toys? what happened to showing off about hopscotch and skipping? when i was in primary school, the word "calorie" was a term used in science class, not a lifestyle. and no one ever whined about their bust size. like, hello? doctors call them "breast buds" simply because they're not fully developed, and you're already complaining your bust is too small?

perhaps i sound judgmental, but isn't the job of a parent to bring up a child who is more than an inch-measurer or calorie-counter?