[Mannosuke]

Are they really?

In textbooks you read about how in the old days, kids are already out working full-time jobs when they're like 12 or helping the family run the business or out in the fields doing hard labor.

Their sense of duty is pretty much set and they know what they have to do, and how they will do it.
Nowadays? We're in school until we're like 17 and probably still have no clue what we want to do. Because society has become much more complex? Because there are so many choices out there?

Maybe, but kids AREN'T growing up too fast these days.
This phrase is commonly used when people hear about 14 year olds having sex and 13 year old girls caking themselves with layers of make-up. Does that mean they're growing up too fast?

[Uverstar]

I couldn't agree with you more.

Kids ARE growing up way too fast these days, you see girls as young as 12 or something in clothes and makeup you'd see girls who are like 17-18+ yrs old wear and now you have boys that same age causing senseless trouble, they disobey their parents, have a uptight attitude, drink those bad 'energy' drinks and some even smoke

I'm not saying that I'm a normal person growing up right, I know times are different from our elders and such and it's understood, it's just not known to other people, they take their ages for granted and so does society.

Businesses see that times have changed so they take advantage of it and showing the kids these days how society is, how it can be 'good' and 'bad' I sometimes think what the future really will be like honestly.

Advertisement is like a brainwashing tool to make children into something they're not, but this is just my opinion really, my friends and I talk about this subject quite often :S

EDIT: forgot to mention that kids from like 14 are rushing to grow up and get into things like love and relationships, I'm off to bed, probably continue this post when i wake up lol

[Mannosuke]

lol wait..I'm saying kids aren't growing up too fast these days.

Kids ARE growing up way too fast these days, you see girls as young as 12 or something in clothes and makeup you'd see girls who are like 17-18+ yrs old wear and now you have boys that same age causing senseless trouble, they disobey their parents, have a uptight attitude, drink those bad 'energy' drinks and some even smoke

This raises the issue of "what makes you a grown-up?" Make-up, disobedience, arrogance, sex, relationship, and drinking habits do NOT have anything to do with growing up IMO.

[Uverstar]

^ change the title post then XD sorry I'm really tired right now, I can barely stay awake as it is

um..

I guess if you see that they aren't growing up fast enough, maybe it's to do with their surroundings, friends, family, society in my opinion.

there are things that keep us in certain points in life like how people wish to stay loving cartoons or reading comic books etc, does that make that person childish for not interacting with reality?

[rachilde]

I think it depends on where you're growing up and what socioeconomic class you're in. There are kids on the streets who are hustling drugs by the time they're 11 and get recruited by gangs specifically because they are under 18 and cannot be held in detention for more than 30 days at a time. These children may be told to kill for the gangs. They usually grew up in a family situation where they basically had to raise themselves. But for some children, it's cake and ice cream all the way until their parents stop footing the bill (25 maybe?).

As for sex and love and relationships: I don't think those constitute 'growing up.' I don't think wearing make up means you grow up or that you're growing up at all. It always depresses me when people think the biggest evil in society for children is wearing make up or having sex at 13. All I ever want to do is shake them and say, "why don't you visit a low income neighborhood and see some of the really bad stuff that happens to children there."

[BoAFriend]

I have a hear on the whole sex, drugs, and make up thing but rachilde's post had me thinking a bit (in a different way, though)

I know some people my age who have to support themselves and some even have to take on the burden of supporting their families, something most teenagers these days don't even have a taste of. One of my friends has to pay $400/month to live in her own room (she and her mom share an apartment). Another one of my friends worked 15hr/day shifts DAILY for 2 months or so because her mom went bankrupt and the girl had to work to pay for her school apartment fees. I guess what I mean is some kids are taking on new levels of responsibility, and I guess, "growing up fast" in the sense that they're experiencing some of the burdens of adulthood already.

[Gofishus]

Well back then didnt girls get married when they were 12 or something?

[prisonerzero]

^ change the title post then XD

Or you could read the post before typing instead of going straight from the title, lol.

[bonjour tristesse.]

Kids aren't growing up too fast because deep down they're still children. Some of us though want to grow up as fast as possible. That's why they do all these things most adults would hear about ; sex, drugs, parties, pregnancies .. I wonder when we'll realize that we'll only be young once.

[commedesgarcons]

kids aren't growing up too fast at all...

are you talking about kids in general or kids in north america?
in hong kong even 16-20 year olds still play with their gameboys and collect gundams..

in terms of the drug abuse, sex and all that, it's because those what are kids are viewing from the media.. just look at those popular american music videos: g unit, 50 cent, jessica simpson

=/

[PRRRETTYGLiTTERRR]

society keeps getting corrupt and kids keep trying to be "older" or something.. ughh i hate it cause i have a younger sister

[Regina Rae]

Make-up, disobedience, arrogance, sex, relationship, and drinking habits do NOT have anything to do with growing up IMO.

This is because your thinking is off. Do you understand? You might not know this, but people are the way they are, because of people like you. People who think it's okay for kids to drink, do drugs, have sex and other barbaric things you might have in mind. It baffles me how someone can out right say that these things aren't adult things. And that kids aren't growing up too fast. Okay then, if these things aren't adult like, then what is? Nothing I guess. So I guess EVERYTHING is on limits to kids then. Just let kids run wild and do as they please, because apparently, nothing in this word is an adult thing. Then nothing must be a kid thing right? So go ahead and have your mom breast feed you, and ride in a car seat, and play dress up, and finger paint. Because if kids can act like adults, and you see nothing wrong with that, then adults can act like kids. They're both equally sick.




Also, this has nothing to do with love & relationships.

[STAR_x.]

This is because your thinking is off. Do you understand? You might not know this, but people are the way they are, because of people like you. People who think it's okay for kids to drink, do drugs, have sex and other barbaric things you might have in mind. It baffles me how someone can out right say that these things aren't adult things. And that kids aren't growing up too fast. Okay then, if these things aren't adult like, then what is? Nothing I guess. So I guess EVERYTHING is on limits to kids then. Just let kids run wild and do as they please, because apparently, nothing in this word is an adult thing. Then nothing must be a kid thing right? So go ahead and have your mom breast feed you, and ride in a car seat, and play dress up, and finger paint. Because if kids can act like adults, and you see nothing wrong with that, then adults can act like kids. They're both equally sick.




Also, this has nothing to do with love & relationships.

he never said anything about drinking, drugs etc being acceptable. he just said that just because kids do that, it doesnt mean that theyre grown up. they're trying to grow up, but they're not actually grown up. if anything, doing drugs, drinking, and having sex at that kind of young age makes them immature cause they're not being wise and are not thinking about the consequences.
i dont think his post has ANYTHING to do with drinking&doing drugs being okay. he's talking about how he believes that kids are not growing too fast in today's society compared to the previous generations'. sounds like you misunderstood his post / intention.

[Regina Rae]

^ No. I understood perfectly what he meant.

[Mannosuke]

he never said anything about drinking, drugs etc being acceptable. he just said that just because kids do that, it doesnt mean that theyre grown up. they're trying to grow up, but they're not actually grown up. if anything, doing drugs, drinking, and having sex at that kind of young age makes them immature cause they're not being wise and are not thinking about the consequences.
i dont think his post has ANYTHING to do with drinking&doing drugs being okay. he's talking about how he believes that kids are not growing too fast in today's society compared to the previous generations'. sounds like you misunderstood his post / intention.

Yes, kids are not growing too fast these days, and the only way I can compare that is to bring up the past.

My intention is to challenge this notion of "kids growing too fast these days" with possible issues such as sex, drugs, and alcohol consumption. People like to throw around that term whenever they hear about kids having sex and teeny boppers wearing lots of make-up and showing off their non-existent breasts, but does that mean you're "growing up"?

Indeed, I never said any of that was acceptable, but for the record I have nothing against kids having sex, doing drugs, or drinking. With respect to the phrase "kids are growing up too fast these days", it has nothing to do with it.

This is because your thinking is off. Do you understand? You might not know this, but people are the way they are, because of people like you. People who think it's okay for kids to drink, do drugs, have sex and other barbaric things you might have in mind. It baffles me how someone can out right say that these things aren't adult things. And that kids aren't growing up too fast. Okay then, if these things aren't adult like, then what is? Nothing I guess. So I guess EVERYTHING is on limits to kids then. Just let kids run wild and do as they please, because apparently, nothing in this word is an adult thing. Then nothing must be a kid thing right? So go ahead and have your mom breast feed you, and ride in a car seat, and play dress up, and finger paint. Because if kids can act like adults, and you see nothing wrong with that, then adults can act like kids. They're both equally sick.

Also, this has nothing to do with love & relationships.

They are not "adult" things, they are simply sex drugs and alcohol. They are items and activities that anyone can have access to, but what's stopping each and everyone one of us from going out there and abusing any sort of substance? Law? Your mom? Morals and ethics? Your own personal judgment?

I don't mind letting a kid drink alcohol. What's wrong with it? Would I let him drink too much? Would I let him spend too much money on it? Those are irrelevant. You like to assume the consequences are true and then base your entire argument on these assumptions, which may or may NOT be true.

People are the way they are because we as adults have failed to educate them properly? Sure, me letting kids drink has probably caused them to think drinking is ok, and that's true. If I never told them to practice some restraint, then they'll probably do something along the lines of what you're saying. However, you're assuming just cause I said "kids can drink" implies I'm going to let kids drink irresponsibly? That kind of logic does not hold.

The statement is simple: "Kids can drink alcohol". You can bring up millions of possible consequences such as overdose or bankruptcy or drinking and driving, but why does that matter? Kids can drink alcohol, alcohol is not an "adult" thing. Having good judgment, however, is what I believe to be gained through growing up, not "drinking alcohol".

Someone who chooses not to drink while driving, someone who controls the amount of daily consumption per period of time, someone who controls the amount of spent, is someone that has grown up from being just a kid. Which is just an over simplification of what it means to grow up, of course.

^ No. I understood perfectly what he meant.

lol, you understood perfectly half of what I meant, but then you assumed everything else and went along merrily after the first 2 lines.

[rachilde]

But isn't the question at hand, "what does it mean to grow up or to be adult?"

You can take one approach and say, "growing up means you get to do certain things like stay up as late as you want [and drink and have sex and etc]"

Or you can take another approach and say, "growing up means you are responsible for your own actions and you take responsibility for those actions."

These are two distinct definitions of adulthood and growing up. One is behavior-based, the other is mentality based. The first one says, "You will have grown up if you perform x behavior;" while the second says, "You will have grown up if you have x mentality."

And this is the problem when an 11 year old commits murder. Should we try that 11 year old as an adult just because he performed the act of murder or should we only try the kid as an adult if we are sure that he had an adult mentality when he performed the murders (he knew the difference between right and wrong and understood the consequences for his behavior?). It's a tough question that doesn't have a clear definition. I personally prefer the latter--you don't grow up just because you do certain things, growing up is a development of the mind and not a series of acts you perform.

[LazyAzian]

Kids are becoming more dirtier, trashier and perverted horny people faster these days.

Did I mention trashier and perverted?

Yeah, back in the old days, if you were caught talking trash your tongue would be literally washed with soap.

Also what's up with kids these dyas having sex at like 8 or 9??~!?!?!?!?!

Kids these days are damn spoiled, seriously, I see 12 year old kids with cellphones and iPods, what a waste of money.

When I was at that age I had to use the phone and my sister's CD player at her room.

[viedeluxe]

Kids these days are damn spoiled, seriously, I see 12 year old kids with cellphones and iPods, what a waste of money.

Whats wrong with iPods? Why can't they listen to music? Didn't we own CDs and CD players when we were younger? Aren't they the same thing (owning CDs are prob more expensive btw)? lol not to completely pick on you, but as for kids having iPods and cellphones, well the world is changing with new and cheaper technology and people just have to accept it. Its like soompi and its new layout change. People hated it, but you need it to move on. Btw, its convenient for kids to own cellphones so parents will know where they are.
Being young means you have to follow trends or it won't be "cool". We're old now and we can think for ourselves, but when you're young, you just want to fit in. Following trends mean wearing abercrombie, making out, and messing with makeup. I messed with makeup when I was in 5th grade! I hardly wear it now.

Well back then didnt girls get married when they were 12 or something?

I think back then they died at 45.

[azn099]

back in the day kids got married and drank whiskey at 13 and had over 10 kids by the time they died.

[5.mystline]

To the amount exposure in regards of fashion, technology and basically everything. I guess they're truly It's sad. I know in my school we were pretty rebel but the young genz' they're just retarded.