I felt like the only kid in elementary school that wasn’t allowed a television in their room. I felt like the only kid in the fifth grade who didn’t have a phone with internet access. I felt like the only kid over 14 who had to beg for a Facebook page. My parents always told me a television wasn’t necessary, I wasn’t ready for a cell phone, and the internet could be a scary world. Of course, I always thought they were lying, that they were treating me like a baby (since at 14 you are now an adult in your eyes).

After looking throughout my Facebook friends’ posts, I had realized how frequently they would be actively online. I myself was also strangely addicted to scrolling through the pointless posts my friends made. Throughout the years, I’ve seen girls I were once friends with transition from a look of pure innocence to only commenting about her use of illegal drugs. Unfortunately, this happens more than you think. The youth becomes so engrossed in media that the wrong people become role models, and before I know it, they’ve turned into different, less appealing people.

It wasn’t always like this, children did not become swallowed by the presence of media until 1955, when Disney’s Davy Crockett became the most sought-after “hero” amongst children of that time (the $300 million of revenue from Davy Crockett merchandise didn’t hurt the cause either). Ever since then, the longing within children to get more time in front of a media outlet has only increased from there.

The only difference is that Davy Crocket isn’t the same context that today’s youth aspire to become. This then courageous, historical figure shaped into a hero has been replaced with rappers, television personalities, and violent, fictional video game characters.

Now I see, media changes people. Media changes people of all ages, however, the younger a person is, the more influential they are. From the age seven to age 22, the brain has not fully developed, and the prefrontal cortex that involves impulse control and decision making will not develop until well into a person’s 23rd year of life. Because of the lack of control against irrational behavior, teenagers are best to avoid premature sexual behavior, substance abuse and alcohol.

According to Guy Paquette, the presence of violence throughout all media platforms (especially video games) is on the rise. Witnessing someone play Grand Theft Auto, I see that the main objectives are to steal cars, beat up people on the street, rob others, and manufacture drug farms. Regardless, GTA V broke six Guinness World Records, one being the highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours.

Davey Crockett would not approve.

Sexuality throughout the media has made huge differences in the use and act of sex throughout the younger generations. Besides the sexual education program throughout school, teens put the media in second place as a source of information about sex. Kim Kardashian is the one of the most followed people on Instagram, and just looking over her account, you can’t escape the recurrent photos of her half naked, sometimes just simply roaming the streets. After many years, when I finally got that TV in my room, a smartphone, and Facebook, public displays of sexual comments and illustrations still make me uncomfortable to this day. Yet, to the majority of the youth, adultery, being “sexy” and all around sexually explicit content is desirable.

The media has impacted today’s youth more mentally than physically. Bullying in schools has become a serious issue. There are children under the age of 10 that are being punched, kicked, isolated and taunted by their own schoolmates; sometimes for something as simple as a learning disability.

Cyberbullying has become a serious issue. The concept of being able to put others down while hiding behind a computer screen has become a phenomenon the youth experience more times than not. Young girls (and women, for that matter) are constantly being objectified and teased about their bodies. Boys are held to high expectations regarding masculinity and chivalry.

Suicide in young teenagers has become a serious issue. Remember last year, a 12-year-old girl named Katelyn Nicole Davis killed herself in a 40-minute live video. This past January, 14-year-old Naika Venant broadcasted her suicide on Facebook live. There are shows meant to raise awareness for teen suicide but only end up seemingly glorifying the tragedy. 13 Reasons Why was so controversial because on top of the graphic scene where the character slit her wrists, the tapes she left behind blaming people for her suicide had somehow translated into a showing of how much attention you will get by committing suicide. How sorry people will feel for you. How you’ll be loved like never before. We need to be teaching the youth that you will always be loved, and that seeking help is not a form a weakness, not ending everything is the answer.

Could the media have successfully robbed today’s kids of their innocence and their childhoods?

To my parents: Thank you for shielding me from this madness we call the media.

To the U.S.: We don’t need children developing sociopathic behavior before they learn how to drive. We don’t need our young girls to start becoming mothers at 14, or our young boys to sexualize everything in their life.

Let the children play outside, focus on school, and limit television time to only one showing of Davy Crockett per day.