Is it me or are kids growing up faster these days?
By mamasan34
@mamasan34 (6518)
United States
April 9, 2007 11:12am CST
I was talking with a friend yesterday and we were discussing how kids are growing so much faster these days. My daughter is 12 and already has boyfriends at school. When I was her age, I was still a tomboy and running around riding bikes and tormenting my little brother. Boys were the furthest from my mind other than as playmates. How about you? What do you think?
6 people like this
11 responses
@gabesmom (1246)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I noticed the same thing with my 13 year old niece. She's a good girl but all her clothes and accessories should be "Baby Phat". Although she's not allowed to date, she spends hours on the phone with boys from school. The costumes that she chooses for Halloween are more suitable for grown-ups. I think the media has a lot to do with this. Young girls are encouraged to look like Barbie Dolls to attract boys.
2 people like this
@bluewings (3857)
•
9 Apr 07
lol I think it's true.Kids are growing up faster.I see my niece and have every reason to believe that they are a fastforded generation.I am equally sure that their kids will beat them to the race,lol.It's perhaps a generation and evolution thing.As we move ahead ,we will get sharper and do as kids what we used to do in our adolescence.It has it's own disadvantages ,but they would never know them because the won't see the alternative.
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Apr 07
Your right, I think there are so many reasons as to why we are seeing such a rush in our kids to grow up. It will most definitely be much different when her kids start growing up as well, and she will most likely have the same questions, LOL!
@lovespecialangel (3632)
• United States
11 Apr 07
I know what you mean! Kids are into much of a hurry to grow up these days. Not like it was when we were kids. My 13 year old has a boyfriend too. Although I don't let them go out on dates, he is over here alot. But this way I can keep an eye out. Not to mention the fact that she is already, and has been for the past year, talking about her career choice. Not that it's a bad thing. I mean she's thinking about her future and all. But whatever happened to just being a kid?
1 person likes this
@lovespecialangel (3632)
• United States
11 Apr 07
Thank you! I agree it's a good thing that she is thinking about her future. I commend her for that. For her age she is a very mature girl. But she has grown up during hard times and around adults. So, that is expected. I try to get her to be a kid as much as possible. But sometimes that is hard to do. I am very proud of her! She once wrote me a little card that said:
Thank you, Mom!
You have always encouraged me
to be the best that I can be!
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Sep 07
That is so special of her to give you that card. I know that must have really warmed your heart to know she thought that highly of you. Most parents don't get that from their kids and even though they do feel that way, they don't feel they can tell their parents, so that shows you have an excellent relationship with her. You are to be congratulated!
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
11 Apr 07
I agree with you on letting the young man come to your house. It is nice that you can be so open with your daughter and still keep an eye on her. I know what you mean about just being a kid. I don't understand why they are in such a hurry to grow up, I commend your daughter on already thinking about career choices, that is great that she is thinking ahead! She must be very mature to be thinking of her future and her goals. It is important that they keep their nose to that than other things, that is for sure!
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
9 Apr 07
I couldn't agree with you more. I think my daughter still believed in Santa Claus when she was 12. I know for a fact she still gave her barbie dolls some attention at the age of 12. I could blame parents for some of the changes but not all. In my day a girl of 12 looked like a girl of 12, now a days there are girls at 12 or 13 that are developed and I mean fully developed. How was this change made and by whom ?
2 people like this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
9 Apr 07
I know when I was twelve, I was climbing trees, making imaginary villages for my dolls, digging swimming pools for them, using my imagination for those things. I did develop earlier than most kids, I thought I was different so I kind of kept to myself because I felt like a mutant, LOL. These days girls and boys are definitely developing early. My daughter is 12 going on 13 and looks like I did when I was 16. She is as tall as me! Some of the boys that have come over looking for her, are taller than me and almost as tall as my fiance. He is 6 ft. tall. At one point I ended up having to ask how old one of them was, because I thought he was a soldier, he looked that old! He was tall, built like a full grown man and he had facial hair! He was only 13! It is amazing to me that these little boys have the bodies of men and our little girls have bodies of women. My daughter quit believing in Santa long ago. She kept the charade up because she knew it was going to hurt my feelings that she didn't believe anymore. Now she broke the news to me and I am ok with it. I figured by now she had figured it out. LOL, but I miss those days.
1 person likes this
@serenidity (641)
• India
9 Apr 07
There is no doubt, kids are growing up 10 times faster than we did, these days. Lot of factors, public exposure, television, surroundings, school, everything is changing so much and at a faster pace, the kids have no choice but to keep up. The sad part is, they dont remain innocent even when they are kids.
2 people like this
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
9 Apr 07
They are definitely growing up faster. I didn't have my first boyfriend until I was in college as dating was forbidden. Now my soon-to-be fifteen year old daughter is on her third boyfriend. Of course, she has many restrictions, but I wonder why girls even need to have a boyfriend at that age when they are clearly not emotionally ready to handle all the potential trauma it could cause. I blame the seven different versions of MTV, Myspace and the internet in general for it not to mention that they are treated more like adults in school now than when we were their age.
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I know what you mean. I was 14 when I had my first date and my dad had a fit about it, but my mother knew the boy and it was a very controlled environment. My daughter is 12 and she thinks she knows it all now. It is silly really. I agree it has a lot to do with the exposure from MTV and the internet, most of the modern amenities that we didn't have as children.
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
11 Apr 07
I know! It is like they are trying to grow up and be adults at such a young age. It is important to let them be kids, but they try to be adults regardless. I try to emphasize that being a kid is a one time deal and you don't get a chance to repeat it!
@koikoikoi (1246)
• United States
10 Apr 07
Oh yeah for sure. It's all happenning to fast. I just can't believe my eyes. I mean now I when I see a girl I guess saying she's like 17 when she's like 14!
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Apr 07
Yes, physically, kids are growing so much faster! I agree!
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Sep 07
Honestly I have no idea. I remember giving birth to my daughter and she is now 13, I wish I knew!
@ozzydee70 (465)
• Germany
10 Apr 07
kids nowaday are growing too fast. my daughter will turn 13 on May and i found out she have a boyfriend alread, same with her classmates/close friends, i should say i freak out but i talked to her calmly. i'm a late bloomer as they said i had my first bf when i was 18.
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I was an early bloomer I guess. My first boyfriend was when I was 14. I know my daughter is 12 and she has a boyfriend too. I wish it were not like that, but it is. I talk to her often and let her know that she needs to come to me instead of her friends when she has questions that need to be answered.
@darkzzt (757)
• Canada
10 Apr 07
kids are growing up faster these days. they are looking very developed already at ages like 14. i think it has to do with the food that we are eating these days, it makes you mature faster. kids are interested in getting boyfriends/girlfriends earlier and it might be interfering with schoolwork a little but probably not much.
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I read an article and my local news station did a segment a while back about steroids in chicken and how it is contributing to our kids bodies growing faster than our predecessors. I think you have a point with that. We do live in a world that uses steroids, alternative chemicals, preservatives....something is bound to happen as a side effect. I guess it is better than having three eyes right?
