Disrespecting Childhood

            I believe children aren’t loved as much as everyone claims they are in our society.  The article states, “While these commonly held beliefs communicate a consistent and shared regard for children, we dig beneath the platitudes, we find a far messier and more complex set of assumptions, beliefs, and challenges to this inspiring image of the United States as a child-loving society” (Curt Dudley-Marling).  Letty Pogrebin said “America is a nation fundamentally ambivalent about its children, often afraid of its children, and frequently punitive towards its children.” Pogrebin mentions the cost of public education and child health and nutrition programs.  Children are spoken of as a responsibility, a legal liability, and an encumbrance (Curt Dudley-Marling).  I can agree with this statement because a lot of people talk down about their children and others’ children.  Society is too strict on children, and I believe we, as a society, need to look at how we treat children.