Is the internet ruining Christmas? With the ease of a simple click, any speculation or uncertainty one may have can be answered. Why is it that at younger and younger ages, children stop believing in Santa Claus? The innocence and amazement that once ran through children’s faces has been slowly dwindling as Internet access is available to younger demographics Take, for example, a friend of mine’s sister. When I was her age, I believed in Santa, as well as my friends. Imagining Saint Nick coming down the chimney and placing presents for all children made me excited for Christmas. It allowed children to see past the commercialism and stress, the draining bank accounts and frustrated parents. However, after my friend’s little sister heard a child in school refuting his existence, she immediately turned to the Internet to ask the question, “Is Santa real?” You can imagine what the results were. Yes, it is saddening to realize that Christmas won’t be as magical; but for many of us, the transition between believing in Santa Claus and not believing was not painful. However, the most concerning part extends the effects of Santa. Children have been exposed to more than they should at certain ages. Usually these instances leave temporary scarring, and no permanent psyche damage, like the time I saw a certain YouTube video in which the creator made two of my favorite cartoon characters engage in bloody battle. Not something you’d wish to see when looking for some funny videos when you’re six years old, but something I could get over nonetheless. On the other hand, many younger children find themselves on vulgar sites, sites promoting extreme political stances, and material just not suited for those who are not mature.
In this day and age, I find it extremely unfair that a solution to this problem would be restricting Internet access to younger children (12 and down). The internet provides valuable information and life lessons that even some of the best parents can not give to their children. I also do not think that parental locks on certain websites help either. Just because your child cannot access a certain site at home does not mean they won’t go over a friend’s house and access those restricted sites. What I personally believe is, well, nothing can be done. It is an unusual stance on the subject, but from personal experience, I find it the most plausible. If the parents and child have strong communicative skills and trust, any concerning material a child finds should be not hidden from parents. Parents should also place trust in their skills and their child. When I was growing up, not once did it cross my mind that it was a good idea to continue on an Internet page I found shady, or even look it up in the first place.
Concerning my friend’s sister, it wasn’t her fault or her parents. Simply, I believe, it was her time to realize that Santa was not real. But for many children, this is not the case. Exposure to the crude and disgusting, suggestive and mature corrupts and sometimes leads to real life violence in children. So, the real question isn’t if the Internet is ruining Christmas, but is the Internet ruining innocence?
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