To think children are more immature now

[lesley33]

I am surprised all the time about how immature some children and teenagers are and how little some can do for themselves. AIBU in thinking this is because children/teenagers are so often over protected these days and so naturally take longer to grow up?

Thats true lesley, and I do believe in getting them to do things like start to post letters for you, help with shopping lists-just basic everyday life stuff so they are a part of running the house etc, but I just get so irritated by the sanctimonious gung-ho gang who seem to be in competition to see who can chuck their children out of the house earliest!

It really does depend on the child too-I know an 11 year old who is really scatty and terrifies his parents (both who grew up extremely self sufficiently) with his lack of nous, and I also know an 8 year old who I would happily leave in charge of my ds for an hour, knowing that she would know what to do if the house caught on fire!

Plus, I actually think that cars are to balme in the sense of children being driven everywhere. We walk everywhere, or take the bus(cos of being poor!) and even though ds does not do this alone, he knows what number buses go where, how to pay the driver etc.
You can do these things with them when they are little, so that by the time they are 8 or nine and out there on their own they have a good grounding.
Its probably when parents ferry their kids about all the time that when it comes time for high school/ buses etc the kids are clueless.

It wasn't that long ago that 16 year olds were leaving school and working down mines. When I started work some of the guys I worked with did that and were a bit funny about the idea that kids should go to university and not start work till 21-22.

Yeah, and five year olds went up chimneys 150 years ago. What's your point?

It's not about bring a macho parent, it's about letting your child gradually get used to the world and it's dangers. In baby steps. Not one day waking up and realising that you have an eight year old who can't boil a kettle.