There’s a dangerous new trend sweeping the nation and it could affect the lives of the next generation. It’s the deficit of shame in the teenagers of the U.S. Teenagers are becoming more comfortable in their skin and interests. This generation no longer feels ashamed of their childish interests and hobbies. They no longer want to conform to the expectation of becoming an adult as soon as possible!

Why would teenagers be ashamed of not wanting to be adults? They would get to inherit the dying planet, economy, and work until they’re in their 90’s with their five roommates. And that´s just the start of the list of fun things adulthood has in store.

Adults get to make all the decisions in their lives as long as they conform to the standard of adulting that society has set up for them. They can buy a house and go into debt that they’ll be in until they’re in their 90’s. They can decorate their lives with such exciting colors such as brown, beige, gray and that’s it!

Being childish is an insult after all. In a recent study of Canadian school children, only 4 percent of children were not shamed by their parents. These children must have horrible lives, not knowing that they have to abandon their childhoods and all the things they loved the second the clock hits midnight on their 18th birthday.

“It was a departure from childhood,” says current adult Amy Zang, “You want to have independence and want to be an adult. But at the same time I didn’t want to leave my childhood behind, or feel that I was leaving my family behind.”

Nothing is more strange than a child not wanting to run far away from home. It’s an American tradition that as soon as a teenager becomes 18 they leave their home and don’t call their parents. It’s almost as if not shaming teenagers for doing and having the things they treasure makes them closer to their family. 

These teenagers actually enjoy watching childish cartoons with heros and slapstick comedy rather than age appropriate shows. Shows filled with violence and sexual innuesdos like Euphoria or Game of Thrones. They enjoy collecting action figures rather than throwing all of their toys away and never touching them again. They feel good wearing bright colors and patterns rather than beige and black, the respectable colors of an adult. 

¨Something I do, when I feel childish it is best to ignore those feelings¨ said senior Cayla Staten, ¨[but] I don’t think it’s too bad of a thing to be childish. You gotta know when to have fun, but you also have to rail it in when in a professional environment.¨

It’s a dangerous sentiment that fills our teenagers head with thoughts of acceptance and self esteem. No need to worry, there is a cure to push teenagers from childhood, Shame! 

Parents should make it their responsibility to fill their children’s heads with doubt and fear of others’ judgment. They should use phrases like, “Grow up!”, “Stop acting like a baby!”, “Big boys don’t cry”. 

After all, it’s the same shame that they heard when they were growing up. They had to leave behind the childish things they liked to become adults. So why should their children be any different?