British children are being exposed to ‘glamour girl’ imagery – and worse – from as young as ten. It’s time to admit that we need to talk to them even sooner about the subject, perhaps as young as nine, says an article released by parenting site Yano.
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“Compared to a generation ago, children have easier access to explicit imagery through the internet and mobile phones," says Yano founder Ann-Marie McKimm. "Gone are the days of magazines, passed grubbily around the secondary school playground and hidden from teachers.
"Add to that the fact that boys are reported to be starting puberty up to two years earlier than a decade ago and it raises some interesting questions for mums and dads. Digital communication is moving so fast – parenting needs to move faster to keep up," Ann-Marie says.
Yano’s article explores the right time to start talking to children about images they might encounter, how these images compare to real-life and how women are portrayed.
Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings adds on the subject of the right time to raise the matter: “I think it’s generally in puberty or early adolescence, which can be as young as nine in some children, but it's especially important not to leave it any later than 11, when they transfer to “big” school, and their peer groups and socialisation are likely to change pretty radically and quickly,” Jo says.
Ann-Marie adds: “This isn’t about debating the whys and wherefores of children being exposed to these types of images.
"Even if we wish they weren’t, they are, at an even younger age than before. Parents need to be prepared," she warns.
The full article gives advice for mums and dads on how and when to handle the conversation with contributions from ex Loaded writers (and now fathers) Piers Townley and Martin Daubney.
Full article can be found at www.yano.co.uk