Feral Child

A feral child is one that grows up isolated from human contact, but I am beginning to believe we are seeing the creation of a new form of feral child. One that grows up without the benefit of actual hands on caring caretakers, a child raised by contact with television, movies, games and other children.

I see more and more children in elementary school, kindergarten through fifth grade, who appear to be growing up without learning what were once basic behaviors.

They may be well dressed, even well groomed, but after four years, not in a special needs classroom, but a standard, regular room filled with supposedly healthy children, still bite another child when angered, or need to be reminded to do simple tasks all the time. They expect substantial rewards for not doing mean things or for doing the right thing.

They do not listen. They do not even hear half of what is said to them at any given moment and their standard for behavior is the exaggerated and attention drawing behavior they see on television or movies.

No one at home seems to have the time, or inclination to teach them that these behaviors will not serve them well in the real world unless they become precocious young child actors who are paid to act this way.

And, sadly, the school seems to follow suit.

They are not rewarded for listening and generating correct behavior. Instead they given treats like lab animals for performing. They are not creative. They are sly. They are not truly happy and well adjusted. They are hungry for attention, whiney, and skidding by on the skin of their teeth.

These are the new feral children.