Are children growing up too fast?

A survey conducted by the Australian Childhood Foundation concluded that both parents and children are concerned that they are indeed growing up too fast. Their report makes interesting reading and raises some interesting questions.

In my day I was told that children were to be seen and not heard. My class at school was also told repeatedly by various teachers that they were not here just for our benefit. In so many ways I thank God we have moved on from those dark ages.

As bad as those views on children were though, they did have one positive. Children were kept isolated from some of the more pressing concerns of the adult world. We had room to create and enjoy childhood. We were even protected from aggressive marketing by multi nationals that would have us believe that things really did go better with Coke simply by parents who made the decision for us...no they did not...if you were thirsty...you were to drink water.

Now children are encouraged to enter debates on world environment, world politics and the economy. As a result they now have increased fear they will have a future- how can you enjoy being a kid with that in the back of your mind? Aggressive marketing has them captive to fashion and technology. They have to worry about what they look like as children before they can actually enjoy being children. More tragic is that some of this "look" is encouraged by the parents both directly and indirectly. (Tweenies keep the designer fashion house share price high.)

What is being done in this enlightened era of children's rights to give them the right to space... just to be kids?