...to think kids are getting older, younger these days!

[WarmingUpWithHotCoffee]

Not sure if that title made sense, but my DS and his friends just seem to be needing much more 'grown up' stuff to do than when I was young

DS (now age 6) has ridden a bike since age 4. He does running, swimming, football, rugby etc... but the 'kiddies' classes he goes to are not cutting the mustard! He and his friends just seem so 'grown up'! Sure they'd be ready for proper football matches, swimming galas (at a more basic level!), cycle competitions etc..

Also, we have to wait til age 13 for lots of organised stuff (like army cadets), which I think he's ready for now!!! (I know that sounds bonkers!)

They also all seem pretty savvy at the computer etc... (much better than me!)

At age 6 I'm pretty sure I just played with my teddies and did make believe 'mummy's and daddys' games! And that was challenging enough!

Anyone else think the little ones of today are way more advanced than we were?

And how can we keep them challenged? Do any of your 6 year olds get involved in proper sports competitions / galas etc... and how do I find out about this???

(This is not a stealth boast! It's not just my DS I'm talking about, many seem like this!)

No, kids are mostly more infantilised these days - which you can see by the fact they are dragged to all those activities rather than given freedom, the extra scaffolding you put in place makes them very capable in these limited areas, but it leaves them less able to manage their own games outside with their peers without the adult scaffolding.

However, because of the increased parental interferance involvement, the sports bodies have more limited the competition aspect, not least because early competition has mostly been shown not to be in the interest of the sports - it even more favours the older or larger in the age groups depending on how you've split the groups (difference between a 5y0m and 5y11m kid is larger than 9y0m and 9y11m kid)

Cycling is an odd choice for you to mention though, BMX has world championships you can go to at age 6, certainly loads of UK competitions.

But there are still plenty of competitions in most sports at 6, swimming based ones are about the only significant exception in England, but I really doubt there's enough 6year old swimmers with the technique to swim well enough - and it's not in the sport of swimmings interest to encourage bad technique (or the utter boredom of the parents and kids for the duration of a gala)

I think it's just me then!!! :)

I agree to an extent OP, I think nowadays when younger they actually seem much more younger than they are (not sure how to word that) I feel like when I was younger, we did much more from a younger age however I do think the teenagers nowadays grow up a lot quicker, as soon as they hit 12 they seem to grow up instantly now

I actually find kids are younger for longer, years ago people would be married with kids by 25, nowadays people act like it’s their childhood until late 20s.

You can go to Beavers now, if you want an organised group.
Outdoor pursuits are often from 6. Parkrun is from 4 and you can work up to the 100 run T-shirt etc.

I think there is tech inflation - a remote controlled car used to be for older children whereas now it is the preschool item and teenagers want a drone!

If kids are becoming teenagers younger, but are then staying teenagers for longer (not moving out until age 30 etc), then they are having a very long teenage-hood

In many ways yes and in others most definitely no. Physically the girls in my 11year olds class look very mature, tall, boobs, makeup but the boys don’t. Personality wise I think they are still childish and have none of the responsibilities that me and a lot of my friends had at that age like looking after siblings, getting themselves to and from school and other places.

I think in certain ways, and not in others. I think that we expect children to have a better understanding of current affairs. My 7 year old knows who the prime minister is, the main political parties, knows of Brexit and who the US president is.

But then as pp said he and his peers are given very little freedom. He can play football, but given the freedom to just roam at a park, they all struggle to set up a game and outline the rules without involving an adult to watch over them.