The children are growing up too fast. They are growing up in a toxic atmosphere of consumerism, media overexposure, and aggressive marketing. The cyber revolution offers free communication and uninhibited visuals that sexualize and objectify children at an early age. Body image and appearance become the main focus. Long before they understand what it is to be a sexual being, sexual behavior is internalized.

Researchers in Great Britain state that boys and girls reach puberty before the age of 8. Their findings showed that 1 in 6 girls menstruates before the age of 8. Fifty years ago, I out of 100 girls started menstruating at that age. Children also reach adolescence at the age of 12 or 13.

Precocious puberty has its dangers. The surge of hormones at puberty can cause boys to have sex at an early age. Teenage pregnancies are on the rise. The irony of this is that while they are physically capable, they are emotionally immature and ill-equipped to handle the consequences of their behavior. 40% of young people between the ages of 13 and 15 are no longer virgins.

Children’s websites such as Missbimbo.com encourage children around the world to enjoy Bimboland. Here the images of curvy girls with doe eyes are projected as if they are in fashion. You can create your own bimbo and become a fashion star.

Nuts.co.uk have an absorbing game where 230 photos of topless girls can be combined with any of 10,000 breasts in a game called “Rate My Breasts”.

At the beginning of January this year, two new plastic surgery applications were launched on the market. They are called “Plastic Surgery”, “Plastic Doctor and Plastic Hospital Office for Barbie versions”. The instruction reads: “This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her. In our clinic she can undergo a surgery called liposuction that will make her slim and beautiful. We will have to make small cuts in the problem areas and suck out the extra fat. Will you operate on his doctor?” Although the general public is outraged on Twitter, the number of visitors to the site registers its popularity.

“Childhood pinkification” or color coding of children’s merchandise is another way of portraying girls as purely decorative, pleasing to the eye, and pleasing.

The hypersexualized images that children are exposed to and the easy availability of pornography are turning children into precocious mini-adults. The loss of innocence comes too soon. They grow up with a distorted image of the human body and sexuality. Linda Papadopaulos, a psychologist, calls it the “pornification of society” due to the incorporation of the sex industry.

A permissive family environment is another reason why children are sexualized prematurely. Parents need to be good role models and not shy away from their responsibilities. A mother who drags her 5- or 6-year-old daughter to a beauty salon for facials, lipstick, eyebrow plucking, and hairstyling is encouraging the child to believe that appearances are all that matter. Mothers even compete with each other to have the best dressed and elegantly groomed daughters. There was a time when children wanted to be doctors, nurses or teachers. Today, their goal is to be fashion models or movie stars.

Lack of supervision is a growing problem when both parents work. No one controls what they see online or on TV or who their friends are. Parents have no control over who they meet on Facebook or other social networks, and what type of interaction occurs. Exposure to pornography is rampant.

Parents with busy schedules buy themselves into the guilt of excess. Too much pocket money or even the use of credit cards is a way of pampering them. While girls go for trendy clothes and accessories, boys buy expensive computer games, videos or gadgets. Children absorb consumer trends. The impact of brands is so great that they want to dress up as their favorite characters and only use the brands they promote. Girls want to strut and twirl like Miley Cyrus or Beyonce and guys want to imitate Sharook Khan or Brad Pitt. Their “nuisance power,” the ability to influence parents to buy what they like, increases.

Harmful effects of sexualization:

1. Promiscuity. This can lead to casual flirtations, posting sexy photos online, experimenting with sex even though they have little sexual knowledge.

2. Drugs and alcohol become part of your lifestyle, leading to irresponsible behavior and health risks.

3. Unwanted pregnancies.

4. Dropping out of school

5. Social problems.

6. Anorexia due to her desire to lose weight.

7. Juvenile crimes, including rape by children between the ages of 7 and 12.

8. Victims of pedophiles.

9. Attracted to act in porn videos.

10. Anxiety and depression. Many times suicide.

How to protect your children:

• Provide a stable family environment. Children who grow up in such a home develop self-esteem and social confidence. Basic rules and guidelines regarding behavior should be established, ie, when can a girl wear adult clothing and makeup? At what age is dating allowed? There should be open communication between parents and children. Talking with them will encourage them to discuss their problems. Parents also have a responsibility to monitor children’s use of computers, tablets, and phones, and crack down on suspicious activity.

• Sex education by teachers and parents. Children are curious. Teachers must be trained to communicate on the sensitive subject of sex. They must have the appropriate resources to teach about body image and wellness. Sex education should start at 7 or 8 years old. Children should be taught to focus on healthy bodies instead of beautiful bodies. The need for a healthy diet, hygiene habits, regular exercise and outdoor activities should be emphasized. Parents shouldn’t be ashamed to talk to their children about their bodies. They must pay attention to the questions asked and give honest answers. When a child reports a disturbing event, she should be investigated. He must be sure that you will stand by him against the abuser. Children should also be educated about the dangers of viewing pornography, sexting, divulging too much personal information online, or uploading too many photos.

• It is important to teach children to recognize sexual abuse. They must know how to distinguish between ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’ and be bold enough to reject the latter. Both parents and teachers need to explain what misbehavior is and how to avoid it.

• The media must self-regulate.

• Mini-Miss pageants should be banned. In September 2013, France voted to ban pageants for girls under the age of 16, in a bid to stop the hypersexualization of children. “Let’s not allow our girls to believe that their only value is appearance,” said Chantal Jouanno, a former sports minister in Nicolas Sarkozy’s government. “Let’s not allow commercial interests to overcome social interests.” Those who broke the rule were punished with two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros.

• Severe penalties for pedophiles and child traffickers.

• Politicians and industrialists must also share the responsibility to make the world a safe place for our children.

All children need help and encouragement to learn to take responsibility for themselves. Self-respect, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, and resourcefulness are what will give them the confidence to grow as stable individuals in a world that boasts harmful lifestyles.