Are children growing up too quickly?

My answer is yes. But when they reach the end of adolescent stage. They grow normally like what adult grow according to their limit. And of course it is depend on what they live in a poor or rich culture.

I am a mother of a three year old child. And I agree with you in saying children are growing up too quickly. My little child would always try to do things by herself. She's quite advaced in her abilities and is very vocal about her mind and feelings. Come next school year, she will attend her nursery classes and it makes me feel that she will grow even faster because she's gonna interact with children of her age and she'll gonna be exposed to more people and the real world. I really don't know what to do about it, but I think I'll just keep on supporting and guiding her in whatever amnner I can. I'll adapt a more modern way of dealing with younger people so that, I can understand them better and guide my little girl without her feeling I'm too protective or outdated.

Yes most kids are growing up too quickly. Mostly because both parents if there is 2 parents are out of the house so often kids don't have time to be kids. They are taking care of themselves earler and earlier. I don't know that childhood is over by 11 but I'd say by 14 most kids can actively take care of themselves. I see a lot of parents giving there 12 year old money and saying order a pizza I won't be home for dinner. To me kids need family time, with out it they do grow up to fast. I am trying really hard to let my daughter grow up at her speed. With guidance she can acheive anything. My husband and I are home with her most of the time. She at 16 months does basically as she pleases (with good limitations of course) but she still comes to us for a lot. She wants to be independent and I let her be to an extent of course. We are teaching her right from wrong, left from right, etc. as all parents should do. Too many parents are just supervising not parenting or guiding. Just one persons opinion!

i think kids are acting like adults too early. but i don't see really what can be done about it. for all the parents that want to keep their children young as long as possible, there are just as many pushing their kids to act more grown up. and big business too. i went to walmart to buy my 4 year old underwear. they had thong underwear for 6 year olds! i had to search to find my daughter normal underwear with a pretty pattern on it. its sad. i hope to keep my daughter young as long as possible. but i don't want her to be left out either. i worked at a daycare and there were two girls there the same age but you wouldn't have known it. one acted all grown up and the other acted how i believed a 8 year old should act. but the one that acted younger didn't seem to have as many friends as the other.

yes i agree that kids are growing up too fast these days!

I think that turning off the TV would be a great start and I have said that since my kids were young. In fact we went 9 yrs with out a TV and guess what? All my kids can read and were good students! I feel that the TV has broken down our families, not only with what is being shown but it takes away from conversation with family members. It is much easier to be plugged into a TV than it is to have a conversation. I cannot imagine that little kids of 11 yrs old could come up with some of the adult things that they are doing now with out the help of TV programs showing them.

I also think the childrens are growing up quickly. The time when we were children have changed from the present time of children. Now a days lots of information are available for the children, which they should know and should not know. Children are also are more intelligent now a days than children of the past.

In response to this discussion, I would ask ..what is an adult??? Why do we not ask instead ..what is a human being???? Children definately do not have any role models to base themselves on. Here, a role model being someone who is healthy, happy, calm and has self-respect. If children see us, as adults, overworking, eating badly, not caring for ourself emotionally, physically and spiritually .. how can they?? How to reduce pressure?? by creating a whole new system of education on how to become human.. how to care for oneself, how to breathe, eat, rest,.. the basics.. Right now, in my opinion, society is sick, if they doctors are sick ( belive me they are, stessed, overworked, .. so you find the sick treating the sick???Time for a whole society to want change together..lets do it now Flamenca

Yes, I too, would agree children are growing up much to quickly these days. I worked in the public schools for 11 years and saw many very young girls dressing and acting as teenagers. Wearing short skirts and skimpy tops. One girl , I remember, wore pants so low you could see part of her buttocks. Then there are those Bratz dolls. There are many first grade girls who aspire to look like that, and even worse, their Mother's and even teachers think it is okay. I was at a first grade program once, where at the end, the boys got posters of super heroes to admire and the girls got Bratz doll posters, which showed young women with far too much makeup and far to little clothing. Not that I'm a prude or anything, but a 6 or 7 year old should not be thinking about being sexy!!! To add to this, I was in a department store awhile back and saw of all things a padded training bra!!! I did a double take on that one, I mean really now, is that necessary?!? Another example, is that most 5th graders are already dating!!! I had one very sweet 4th grade boy a few years back who confided to me that he was terrified to go to 5th grade, when I asked why, he said he wasn't ready to date yet and preferred his toys to girls. When I told him this was okay and that 5th grade was much too young to date, and his Mum properly thought so as well, he was so relieved. I said, grow up at your pace, not your classmates.

Yes agree .Children now days grow up to quickly.Even at my young age of 25 :)I can remember doing things at 13 that people in there 20's wouldn't dare do.And most would say it was my mothers fault but to me I made my own decissions.And even if she told me no I would do it anyways.I think now days kids have to deal with adult problems so they think their adults.I have a one year old son and when he's older I want him to have the childhood I should have.Hopefully I will instill good morals in him so when he is older he will choose the right way.I really don't know how we could reduce the pressure on our kids, just be there for them NO MATTER WHAT. Good topic