Guest Grayfox Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 is this world coming to, when a 3 year old... yes that is correct, a 3 year old child gets picked up by reebok??? check out the story (or at least some of it) here. i came across this today while watching PTI (pardon the interruption for you uninitiated) while tending bar... i simply cannot believe it. i blame the mother for this one for 2 reasons. 1) the child is 3... he cant possibly make his own decisions. 2) Reebok never even knew about this kid until his mother sent them a video of the kid sinking shot after shot into a 8 foot rim. thats just a sign of a parent getting greedy and thinking of her child as a quick mealticket... i mean you see the labron james 90 mil nike deal, and the 13 year old soccer player whos getting a 1 million diollar shoe deal... i mean cmon... my kid can hit a baseball farther than most kids 3-4 years older than him... you dont see me sending a tape of him to some shoe company so i can a free ride the rest of my life and submit my son to the torture of being a child star. my niece was one... ive seen what they put her through, and there is no way in hell im putting my boy thru that hell.... money be damned. we live comfortable enough as it is now. id be pleased having my child develop his athletic abilities (all of his abilities to be matter of fact) in a natural manner without someone prodding him all the time... like "why dont you do this instead of that???" sort of thing. id love for my kid to play football... hes got linebacker written all over him, but you dont see me forcefeeding him a football... instead he walked up to me out of the blue one day and asked me to buy him a bat and ball, and he asked me to teach him to play baseball... thats how i think it should be... let the child decide what he wants to do when hes(or she) is ready. ok ive ranted on long enough about this one. for the parents out there (SC, Race, Echo come to mind especially) share your thoughts on this subject please... im curious to know how you guys feel... or if im the only crazy one here.
Tyrn Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 I have to agree whole heartedly. In all reality, isn't that exploitation?
Kevin Trotter Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 Yes Fox you are quite mad, but that's beside the point. I am fed up with the pimping of american children in any way shape or fashion. That includes these ghastly reality shows that feature children and thier maniacal parents egging them on to be "a star" In my line of work I see what happens when children are not allowed to actually "be" children and it ain't pretty. The football player Todd Marinovich comes to mind. He was a quarterback who was raised by his father to be an elite football star from the earliest age. Before middle school he was on special diets, lifted weights, watched film and was force fed a steady diet of football. He was a successful high school and college player but burnt out completely as the QB of the LA Raiders. Last I heard he was getting therapy and living on a beach in Malibu. He doesnt speak to his father anymore . His mother divorced his father after he planned a repeat performance on a younger sibling. All this points to a larger problem, the loss of culture , character and the worship of consumerism. We have become so shaped by what we see on the idiot box it's ridiculous. this incident is just more evidence of the coming fall of the American Empire.
Supreme Cmdr Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 I dunno man, but how is this different from having child models who model clothes, toys etc etc?
Guest $iLk Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 Ferengi Rule of Aquisition: Exploitation begins at home.
Kevin Trotter Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 Well SC to your question, the difference is when the parents decisions are guided by their own self interest and not the interest of the child. If my three year old wants to model or play the flute or whatever, I support that. I get a little leery when the motivation comes from the parent and they gain financially from it. My daughter is very cute and both my wife and I hav been approached about modeling by photographers and such (professionals who were doing our family portrait) and we both agreed that was out of the question. We didnt feel she would benefit and that was the motivation. I guess each parent has to make the decision they best can live with. It is the reason why if I am someday blessed witha son, I will be vigalant in not pushing him to fulfill my expectations via sports unless he is interested. A fine line I know but one I am willing to walk.
Supreme Cmdr Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Race Bannon IV: Well SC to your question, the difference is when the parents decisions are guided by their own self interest and not the interest of the child.You're kidding, right? Are you saying that this kid wasn't motivated to play basketball at age 3 and that he did it at the prompting of his parents and such? And if thats what you're saying, how do you know that this is not something that the kid wanted to do? I mean, its not like 3 year olds are easy to control and be able to do things against their will. Trust me, I should know.
Tyrn Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr: [snip] its not like 3 year olds are easy to control and be able to do things against their will.LOL...Now that is a universal truth. Just ask my 8, 5 or 4 year old. The littlest one is only 4 months, so she really couldn't say at this point!
Kevin Trotter Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 Boy you are a tough old bird, yes SC I agree the kid may have wanted to play ball, but I doubt he asked to get signed to a conrtact to do it. Perhaps this kids parents are wise enough not to let thier kid be exploited but money corrupts and a million dollars corrupts absolutely. And while my kid OFTEN wants to do things (dive of the back of the sofa, dry her dolls hair in the microwave,etc..) it's my job to prevent her from doing things they she may not know are harmful. Again it is up to the parent to make decisions in the kids best interest, not thier own.
Supreme Cmdr Posted May 29, 2003 Report Posted May 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Race Bannon IV: Boy you are a tough old bird, heh quote:yes SC I agree the kid may have wanted to play ball, but I doubt he asked to get signed to a conrtact to do it.Well I'm sure that he tries to wiggle out of brushing his teeth in the morning (or before going to bed), eating his veggies, not leaving the fridge open, not pouring his drink on the family pet etc etc. My point being, there are a lot of things he - as a child - will get told to do or not do and which he has no control over. So, him not asking for a signed contract, is, well, irrelevant. I'm sure he didn't ask for veggies in his lunch either.
Guest Posted May 30, 2003 Report Posted May 30, 2003 well, theres one flaw to that argument. How can you say a kid being asked to pose in underwear for a summer catalog not be exploitation (i mean, last I checked a 3 year old does not dream of or play make believe or even show interest in being an underwear model), but say that a kid that can somehow put a ball through the hoops repeatedly (a remarkable show of skill.. and I doubt his parents made him stay home from school, pumped him with steroids and made him shoot hoops from 6 am to 6pm everyday. The kids gotta LIKE shooting hoops!) is not being exploited? Sure, the parents will get a boatload of money.. but depending on their financial situation, that may just guarantee his college education. I have read lots about child stars and how messed up they can get, and in that respect i agree the parents will be very irresponsible, but then again neither you nor I know what the parents are planning; who knows, they might be signing a 1 or 2 year promotional contract, which for a 3 year old is not exactly traumatizing. If it was a 10 year old, i would think otherwise
Wolferz Posted May 30, 2003 Report Posted May 30, 2003 From the perspective of a father of two, one of each gender I always gave them the freedom to choose their own thing. My son wanted to play football at an early age. I supported him by getting him the best equipment money could buy and volunteered as an assistant coach for his peewee league football team, because bless his coach for having a good heart and loving those boys like they were his own, he wasn't the best of coaches out there. The first year my son played, his coach did nothing more to get them ready for the season than teaching them some plays and running them from scrimmage. Many of these little fellows were getting hurt in the early games of the season. So I took Terry aside the following year and asked him if he liked seeing these kids get hurt? His answer was an emphatic NO! I'm open for suggestions. So I suggested military style Physical training before the little guys even touched a football. Terry made me the trainer and day one of first practice seperated the kids who wanted to play from those whose parents were pushing them to play. I ate their lunches and threw the banana peels back at them. One mother was so insensed at the way I worked them, she took her boy home and never returned. But beleive me when the first game day arrived they were ready both physically and mentally. Not one of them was injured that season. Many of the guys played both sides of the ball. That's how small the team was in number and they gave 110% all the time. The parents loved what I did that first week of training and told me it opened the eyes of their children to see that life isn't a bowl of cherries and if you embark on any endeavor you will have to work to be good at it. it doesn't get handed to you free gratis. We had one six year old that played just as hard as the older boys. We had no problem putting him at tailback and handing him the ball. He could squirt through holes a gnat couldn't fly through, but with our front linemen he usually had plenty of room. The only thing I disapproved of that year was the equipment this one poor mother bought for her son. The equipment list we gave out was quite specific as to what was acceptable. She bought him this second hand plastic toy helmet The kind you find in toy stores. I went and bought him a helmet just as good as the one my son wore because I didn't want to see him get his skull bashed in and You couldn't keep a coat of paint on that crap she got him, not to mention it was dangerous for him to even be practicing with it on. The look in his eyes when I put that new helmet on him with a shiny new coat of Giant blue paint,and I took his junk toy helmet and chucked it in the nearest garbage can was payment enough for me. Children are smart enough to develop their own interests, they don't need to be force fed a parents dream of what they want the child to be or do. In fact if the parent pushes too hard for the child to do those things, the child will resent it if they aren't interested. Sometimes kids are much wiser than their parents.
GhengisX Posted May 30, 2003 Report Posted May 30, 2003 my ize!!!! great discussion. there's always the chance for wrongdoing and people go both ways. period.
Guest Grayfox Posted May 30, 2003 Report Posted May 30, 2003 quote:Are you saying that this kid wasn't motivated to play basketball at age 3 and that he did it at the prompting of his parents and such ? what im saying is that maybe the kid likes basketball. thats fine, he chooses to like it. what pisses me off is the fact that mom sees it as a meal ticket. if she forced him into basketball, then i have a problem with that as well... but since that has yet to be revealed... i mean just because my kid can play baseball, and hit the ball over the fence 8 out of 10 times, you dont see me sticking a camera in his place and preaching hes the next babe ruth looking to sign a shoe deal with nike or reeebok... thats just ridiculous. as for child stars, 9 out of 10 times, its the parents pushing their kids. my niece did not want any part of being a child model. she even told my sister she didnt like the way she was treated (in not so many words) but would my sister listen and respect the childs wishes??? nooooo. and now that my niece is grown up and moved out, my sister wonders why she doesnt call or visit... my fathers girlfriend says i should get my son into soccer... after i told her to mind her own $%^&* business and that my son is not hers, i informed her that i let him do whatever he wants to sportswise, and im not going to forcefeed him anything. if at a later time hes interested in soccer, than so be it. ill support him 100%. all im preaching here, is let the child develop naturally. if he has an interest in baseball or basketball or football or soccer etc, then support him/her just dont forcefeed him/her so you can have a mealticket when you get older.
Kevin Trotter Posted May 30, 2003 Report Posted May 30, 2003 Nuff said! And SC...LAY OFF!!! yer scarin me man, I don't thing we really disagree on this thing I guess seeing what MAY be exploitation is a hotbutton for me and maybe i's over reacting...but be gentle for cryin out loud! I'm 250lbs of sensitivity. Really I am.
Supreme Cmdr Posted May 31, 2003 Report Posted May 31, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Race Bannon IV: Nuff said! And SC...LAY OFF!!! yer scarin me man, I don't thing we really disagree on this thing I guess seeing what MAY be exploitation is a hotbutton for me and maybe i's over reacting...but be gentle for cryin out loud! I'm 250lbs of sensitivity. Really I am. aha!! and thats it right there : just because it may be perceived to be exploitation, doesn't mean that it necessarily is. I'm quite sure that in this case the parents has dollar signes where their irises once were, but thats besides the point.
echo Posted June 1, 2003 Report Posted June 1, 2003 We went to a carnival today. My 3 year old son threw his first dart, popped the balloon, won a bear and gave it to his 17 mo old sister. I teared up. Remeber my comment was requested: I don't know if I have an opinion about this particular boy and his mother. Would I send a tape of my son if he was awsome at something? No. Why? I am lazy. Would I let my kids model? No. Why? I work a lot and don't have time to cart them around. If I was ever approached and offered a contract money and whatever else was involved in this for my kid to work a bit and secure a trust fund for them later in life. If putting them on national tv would leave them free of ever being held back because a lack of money...... I might. I would be sure to include some kind of protection for them. Such as if he hates it, gets ill, etc. we are out. Being the type of mother I am, if I did it, it would be purely for them. Not me. I sure as heck wouldn't force them into learning something. I can't even say I truly think what this woman did was wrong. It's hard enough getting my kid to poop on the potty...nevermind shoot hoop. How is this for partial thoughts typed....Sorry I find I don't have too many overwhelmingly strong opinions these days. My new thing has been living in the present. Enjoying what I have. To each his own. All I can do is hope that this mom can always stand by her decisions and the kid doesn't end up all screwy.... Hey that is what I hope for myself too.
Guest Grayfox Posted June 1, 2003 Report Posted June 1, 2003 well as for going screwy thing, im way past that point... i just gotta make sure my kid doesnt follow me down that road
Kevin Trotter Posted June 4, 2003 Report Posted June 4, 2003 Well this could be the most short lived craze since the Will Mega era on CBS'S Big Brother. Lil'Mark as he is now known, reportedly cracked under pressure and bricked his first four shots on the Leno show according to PTI's Tony Kornhieser. "the kid choked" stated Kornhieser on last nights PTI broadcast. No news on whether his contract will be revoked (chuckle)
LostInSpace Posted June 19, 2003 Report Posted June 19, 2003 Man, I only wish I had that kinda talent to be exploited that way!!! Exploit me all ya want mom and dad fill that college fund right up fill that trust fund up so fat I never have to work a day in my life so I can play games all day in the mansion I would live in with my so called basement that's really an arcade and right next to that my own personal IMAX theater... Damn rotten talent of mine. I'd be lucky if I could bum a penny from someone.
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