Does childhood end at 11?

Too much too young?

A new survey suggests that half of British parents think that childhood ends when their children leave primary school. The ICM poll found that over 50 percent of us believe that children become “young adults” by the age of 11.

It’s long been said that modern children grow up too fast, but this new survey suggests that this is as much to do with the parents as the children themselves. It found that almost three-quarters of British parents allowed their children to drink alcohol before the age of 18, nearly half would allow their 16 year-olds to spend a night at their boyfriend or girlfriend’s house and that over half were allowed to stay out later than 11pm.

The poll, of almost 1,200 parents with children aged under 18, was commissioned by publisher Random House, to tie in with the publication of a new book by former children’s laureate, Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
although she is gamed for her realistic portrayals of modern life, Dame Jacqueline said that she believed children were growing up too quickly.

 "Because the narrators in my novels are teenagers, it may look as though I am pushing for teenagers to have more freedom," she told The Times. "But it is not what I believe. I feel it is a real shame that children act like adults at an alarmingly early age. It's good that we want the best for our children nowadays, but perhaps we should remember they are only children and need a little loving guidance."

Wilson – who is most famous for writing the Tracey Beaker books, - urged parents not to always give in to their children's demands.

Parents need to take a stand, to tell their children 'I don't care if everyone else in the class is allowed to do this or that. You're not.