Childhood Organised Sports And The Construction Of Masculinities Analysis

Parents have intentions of helping their children develop into functioning members of society, and of instilling values in them and building their character to make the right decisions in life. In all actuality, they do the opposite. Inequality, in the form of social norms, begins in the home. Creativity is hindered, if not discouraged, individual growth is discouraged, and major strain is placed on other social relationships. Children are often made, consciously or subconsciously, by one parent or the other to be a clone of said parent. This is especially evident in the early stages of children’s lives, the teenage years, as well as the young adult stage of their lives. Social norms and other forms of inequality begin to become prominent

In “Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the Construction of Masculinities,” Michael A. Messner writes, “Clearly, what these boys needed and craved was that which was most problematic for them:connection and unity with other people” (128). These types of feelings can cause mental issues later on in life for the child, as they are not sure what they are feeling because the parents do not make the children aware of the possibilities. Creativity is restrained, growth as an individual is discouraged, and major strain is placed on other social relationships.When individuals reach their teenage years, there is even more of an expectation placed on them. As many teenagers try to discover who they truly are, they also focus on having fun, as well as on relationships, usually with no assistance from their parents. Any attempt at creativity is met with a reminder that “that isn’t going to pay the bills,” and many teenagers are expected to plan out most, if not all of their future, by the time they are reach high school, and are not allowed to enjoy their youth, and the free time and other perks that come with it. Inequality is profound in the home, especially at this age. Dalton Conley writes in “You May Ask Yourself” how “In each American family, there exists a pecking order among siblings-a status hierarchy, if you will-that can ignite the family with competition, struggle, and resentment” (481). The family brings down individuals greatly. This is part of the reason that teenagers seem to drift away from the influence of their parents, as if they were to stay close to them for more time, they most likely would not be able to find themselves, as parents keep too tight of a hold on their teenage children. Bad or questionable parenting can result in mental issues in children. Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong wrote of this in their song “Jesus of Suburbia,” saying “I’m the son of rage and love,” detailing how his parents were bipolar in