Are teenage girls maturing too quickly?

Question

Do you think that teenage girls are maturing too quickly? Are they dressing more provactive than they should be? Shouldn't their minds be on education and the future rather than sex?
No, not all teens are like this, I know, so please don't think I'm generalizing, but instead of learning and growing to be a responsible young adult, some of them have multiple sex partners, end up pregnant, drop out of school......etc......
And the way they dress is much different than it was when I was a teen. Is it parenting? Is it the media? What gives? Can we save our youth? It's so scary thinking of the terrible diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and these girls dropping out of school and having to be a mommy at 16.
What happened?

I appreciate these answers, I expected to be bombarded with negative comments.
But I am glad to know people see what I am talking about.

Answer 1

I think it has been that way for thousands of years. Even Mary had Jesus when she was only 15.

Answer 2

Yes, yes, yes, and yes, in answer to your first 4 questions.

There are many factors involved. Exposure to popular culture through the media, permissive (or worse yet, no) parenting. When I say permissive parenting I am talking about parents who refuse to say "No!" to their own children when the children demand to want something. Clothing is definitely a problem; I have seen five year old girls dressed in clothes that looks like it's been designed for 20 year old girls.

Then there is sex education in public schools. Has sex ed prevented teens from getting pregnant? Hardly, it has accomplished just the opposite: it teaches the kids how-to have sex, that they have certain "sex rights" , that experimentation is a good thing, and so on. Granted, there are some good kids out there who prolong sex in favor of a future, mature relationship with the opposite gender. They do exist (I happen to be one of them).

Feminism is in the toilet -- girls are being more sexualized than ever before. The original intent of feminism was totally against this and encouraged females to get educated, go to college, be career oriented, and to get out of this "baby-making machine" mentality.

But, so long as girls are being socialized in to male dependency (this is exactly what this "I need a boyfriend/man/live in lover" is all about), women will never get ahead. They're making themselves in to second class citizens this way. It is unneccessary and unhealthy for our already severely overpopulated planet. Get out of the baby making routine, encourage education, employment, and so on for girls, practical clothing for them instead of dressing up a 12 year old like a sl*t, and they will be so much better off.

Answer 3

I'm 18 and ppl make fun of me a lot for not doing the thing but I try to not pay much attention to them. I'm not religious or anything, but it just scares me how many teens around me get pregnant, probably diseases, and the hardened look on their faces. Yet I'm the one everyone considers different.
I don't think teens are maturing too quickly. If they were mature they would not be involved in all these things. They take life too much for granted. They should have more responsibility and be taught beforehand there are consequences to things. i also think teenagers should have more good sex education and educated on the STDs and parents should be involved in talking to them. And maybe if they sometimes had to babysit a kid that is a handful, they would think twice before they make bad choices. they should learn how to make good choices on their own.
somehow teens seem to think a person is valued according to their sex life. they should be taught to value someone as a person and not just to get sex.

Answer 4

I will start with appearance, it is very important in a relationship, for some it's really important, for others not so much. So here it goes: A beautiful smile Neat, not messy hair Smell good, the biggest turnoff is when a girl smells bad Have a nice body Long eyelashes, good eyebrows Pretty eyes And dress well Personality Be sweet Kinda flirty Intelligent Smart Funny Cutely shy

Answer 5

In short, Yes. As a child I lived wild, and it had nothing to do with my parents, it was just me. But as a 29 yr old father I am now seeing the world in a different light. Example: I took my son to a major amusement park this summer and found myself being the over-protective parent we sometimes wish we didn't have when we were young. I also, while waiting in line behind them, watched a small group of YOUNG girls flirt with the boy at the counter who was at least 16. These girls couldn't have been more than 12-13. First, I noticed that their "leader" was the worst. She constantly likcked and sucked her lollipop in an effort to get the boy to notice her. not to mention the Britney Spears/Christina Aguilera clothing they wore. Too short skirts and too tight and low cut shirts. I asked myself (And my girlfriend) where the hell are the girls parents? After getting to the counter, I ordered and watched the girls return to a table of adults, but not for long. After chatting with the "parents" for all of 2 minutes, they went to the next room and sat down next to a few boys. Close to their own age, but still....Later on, we were walking along after a ride and I see the same group of girls, flirting with yet more counter boys at the next food shack and flaubting and flirting their stuff once again. Where were the parents I asked? About 50ft ahead of them I noticed as we passed them. I see more and more of this all the time and honestly I think it's a combination of things. The media, parenting, and peers all play a huge part that all have to coincide and work together or the "that's forbidden, so I must do it because that makes me cool" mentality will prevail most of the time. Damn, i'm glad I had a boy.

Answer 6

Way, way, way to quickly. I have a 5 year old daughter and absolutly dread her teenage years to come. Dressing has alot to do with it. If you let your lil girl dress like shes an adult people will think she is. Society is changing from its old ways with the new generations which are more sexually free even with the various std's we can encounter. As a parent we need to be more active in our childs lives and not be scared to talk about sex and the consequences of sex with our kids. It also doesnt help with the parents that raise thier childs babies for them its just like saying oh its ok. Its ok to help them but not just take all responsiblity for them. Its hard to think about because there comes a time when a parent has to decide, should i get birth control for my child which may make them think its ok and they have the green light or be stricter and hope they listen.

Better parenting is the solution but the problem is you cant make every parent be a good parent.

Answer 7

I'm 17, and yes I've matured rather quickly myself. But not because of sex. You're right, not all teenage girls dress provocatively, but a lot do. Most of the girls I know only dress that way to attract attention. Whether they don't get enough at home or what, I really don't know. I myself don't dress that way. I usually wear loose-fitting pants with a belt, a T-shirt and cross-trainers. I actually like to wear some of my brother's old hand-me-downs. I'm not really sure why I matured so quickly. It may be because of my dad passing away when I was young, but I'm really not sure.

Answer 8

I'm 15 and at my age I still see that teenagers aren't thinking right. I know better then to do anything like have sex or do drugs. My parents taught me that stuff. I'm not saying that its all the parents fault or anything, but I think that parents need to talk to there kids and ask them those questions that kids hate so much. I think that kids think that because today education and everything else is so advanced that they think that they are too. But just because a person gets straight A's in school or not even that, then they think that their smart enough to handle those kind of things like sex. I don't think its just one thing that's making these kids think this way, it's just a bit of everything.

Answer 9

Yes, I agree with you. I was watching Tyra Banks not long ago and the topic was teens and sex. There was a 16 year old girl on who had already had 8 different partners! She was already to the point where she was trying to "shave" the number down. When asked, she said it was only 4, but finally admitted that it was really 8....at 16 years old!

Answer 10

they are bombarded with sexual images of thin airbrush girls in provocative dress, and what do we do we let them buy that "stuff" and wear it because they look cute, I think it is a combination of Media and parenting sometimes we are just scared to tell them no,
Some teens think that it is a rite of passage to have sex, smoke marijuana, and dringk beer many of them think its just a normal part of growing up. But they are unprepared for the consequences of out of wedlock children becoming hooked on drugs or wraping their parents car around a tree because they were drunk. I try my best to tell my students that it is not normal and just have fun an be kids

Answer 11

I'm 15 and wondering the same thing... I see more girls at my high school getting pregnant, hardly paying attention in class, or just flirting with guys too much. Not that I care about the flirting with the guys (I could care less about them... not my type...) but I just wonder what the heck will the future be like? Will it be filled with slang, profanity, teenage girls with babies, and guys who are having the time of their lives with the many girls they are screwing... i don't know if I hold myself too high but I'm beginning to think that girls are lowering themselves to be accepted by their peers and guys. They ARE maturing too quickly. I heard of a girl who got pregnant at age 11 where I live an that brought surprise... You aren't generalizing. You're just speaking the truth.