<p>This doesn’t relate to the question at all. </p>
<p>Playing with an iPad doesn’t mean a kid is growing up faster. It just means that it has different toys. Growing up faster entails taking on responsibilities and becoming independent. Playing with a fancy toy doesn’t indicate growing up. It just shows that society has developed fancier toys than ever before. Doesn’t mean the kids are more mature.</p>
<p>As for the OP, I don’t agree that swearing/smoking/misbehaving is “growing up faster.” These actions are the exact opposite of growing up. But as for “are kids misbehaving more/earlier,” I think no. It is simply more publicized these days because of modern media.</p>
<p>As for dating, the average age of marriage/having kids is increasing and has been for years. So obviously, people are not having serious relationships and children sooner. First relationships always happened young.</p>
<p>RE professional life, again, humans are spending more time in education and less time actually working. Farm work used to begin soon after a kid could toddle. It doesn’t work like that anymore. Kids have less work responsibilities, though we certainly have more pressure to educate ourselves or else face dismal career prospects.</p>
<p>I’d imagine that having an iPad does necessitate a certain amount of maturity and responsibility; e.g. the ability to forego the iPad for healthy outdoor activity; homework assignments, etc.</p>
<p>Kids nowadays try to act more mature then they are, and adults also treat them older then they are. Kids try to start dating in elementary school. Adults give them gadgets, and along with the gadgets, a lion’s share of responsibility (not to break it, not to lose it, not to abuse it, etc.).</p>
<p>You are coming to conclusions with no evidence. Who says that kids are foregoing electronics for healthy outdoor activities? America, and the world, is more overweight than ever before. Even if they are doing productive things, oftentimes parents regulate these activities; otherwise, they don’t take place. That doesn’t indicate responsibility and maturity. </p>
<p>Furthermore, regardless of the type of game, kids have always had to choose between work and pleasure. The type of game really isn’t relevant. Kids have played since the beginning of humanity.</p>
<p>Alwaysleah, why is it that you always have to rip apart what I say? Its annoying. Plus whenever you feel need to criticize my post, you disregard what I’m replying to. Someone said they see 4 and 5 year olds on iPads and I commented on when I saw a kid in an iPad. Goodness, just stop.</p>
<p>I think early exposure to iPad ipod and the likes are bad for social development. They will probably be poor in reading others’ faces and cooperating, since they are supposed to be learning how to interact with their family then to the people outside.
They will probably be less patient as well, considering that when using a computer, the information and entertainment that we demand are just a click away, without having to go through hassles.
I still remember how when I was small, the big desktop computers were very slow but I still had the patience to wait for it to run. Now, I would be clicking my mouse frantically if the webpage doesn’t load within a few seconds.</p>
<p>alwaysleah is defensive of her feeling that kids are not actually growing up any faster today. she saw your innocent remark as a threat to it and pounced. it wasn’t you.</p>
<p>Yes, the average age for marriage or having a serious relationship has gone up, but the average age for dating (not necessarily to build a serious relationship) has gone up. I think that was what the OP was referring to.</p>
<p>I like to see everyone’s opinion about this :)</p>
<p>Anyway, I think kids will get exposed to and interested in at some time or another to all of these things (technology, cursing, relationships, etc) and it’s up to the parent or guardian to make sure it doesn’t happen too young. As far as what’s “too young” goes, I’d say it’s more about maturity level than age. The kid would have to be mature enough to know not to curse twice every sentence for example. The image of what’s “cool” pressures them to grow up too fast to chase after that image. And unfortunately, that image tends to include things like dating young, cursing, iPads, the list goes on and on…</p>
<p>Niquii, I have neither the time nor the concern to stalk every one of your hundreds of posts and “rip it apart.” To be quite honest, I don’t really even concern myself with the name of the poster I am replying to unless it is a poster who I am otherwise familiar with. I really only remember the thread in which you insisted that everything happens for a reason, but refused to debate, other than insisting that I was “wrong.” That wasn’t really an argument, and there was no content in your posts for me to rip apart. </p>
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<p>Someone else’s opinion can’t threaten mine, just as mine can’t threaten theirs. lol. Both opinions will continue to exist regardless. </p>
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<p>I’m going to assume you meant that the average age went down. If so, I’d love to see the data for this, as it is contrary to what I would infer. Though perhaps more stringent religious restrictions used to keep young children from having relationships.</p>
<p>Yes I think people grow up too fast these days. With the uprising of popular television shows for teens and kids, they are being exposed more to the things such as popularity, cell phones, too exposing clothing and so forth. They see other people having these things and therefore they say, “Oh I want that! Can I have that?” So yeah… :(</p>
<p>I strongly agree with ‘madethisforpost’ Entertainment and people these children see are having a bad influence on them which leads to insecurity, and all types of stressors. Such as cursing, talking in a certain way, acting in a certain way, worried about how others see them, how they see themselves and et cetera. These children are strenuously trying to become something that isn’t logical for their age.</p>
<p>No, kids aren’t growing up any more quickly, because growing up involves maturity and wisdom. What is changing are cultural benchmarks: First cell phones, first girl/boyfriends, and things like that. I doubt whether the average thirteen-year-old in 1950 was all that more immature or less wise than a similar kid from a similar background today. Today, though, that teenager would have a cell phone, a Facebook account, and would have a much less reverent attitude towards things like adults, religion, and that sort of thing. Whether that situation is good, bad, variable, or subjective is debatable, but I think it’s clear that kids themselves aren’t changing; their environment is what is evolving.</p>
<p>Edit: Oh, and kids have always and will always swear, and I say, the younger, the better. Fluent, tasteful cursing is an art that very few master.</p>