There are children who start schooling at the age of three or four. The first stage is nursery then kindergarten and then grade 1 up to grade 6 and at certain schools it is up to grade 7. After that first year up to fourth year highschool and then college.

I'm only thirteen years old but I'm in second year high school. It's because I live in the Philippines. Now, I think that a lot of teens and pre-teens these days are growing too fast. Why do I say so? It's because a lot of my friends are having boyfriends and I even have a friend who is only a fifth grader who's probably only ten or nine years old with a boyfriend. And I even saw freshmen who are only eleven or twelve years old wearing really daring outfits and they even have a picture in friendster wearing bikinis. It makes me upset. I'm not jealous, I'm really really disappointed. I think that we're too young to have deeper relationships with the opposite sex and wear really daring outfits and some of the people I know even smoke and some boys that are also sophomores like me even have gangs. I hate this. I don't understand why their parents don't reprimand them. Some of the people I know even engage in premarital sex. Their parents don't know of course but I really think it's getting worse because more and more teens are doing these things. And because of this lots of teens are becoming young parents and it ruins their future. Some desperate people even commit abortion and when they feel really bad they commit suicide. I even saw in the news that there are lots of "rugby boys" and snatchers that are teenagers.

I think it's because of modern technology and parents who spoil their children. I blame the parents who let their children do almost anything without even caring and I blame modern technology because through the gadgets we have today like cellphones and computers we can easily communicate with others without our parents knowing it and the internet can also lead to sites that have very bad effects to young people like me. I also think that teens are just trying to copy their older brothers and sisters because they think it's cool. They are trying to copy adults who smoke and drink. I blame adults who have no self-discipline and are a bad influence. When I become an adult I swear I will not be a bad influence, I won't let my children commit the same mistakes youth commit nowadays. I also think it is because of poverty and discrimination because now, if you don't have a mobile phone, people will think you're uncool which is why a lot of teens steal.

What about you what do you think? I don't know if it's the same in your country but in the Philippines, these are the things that young people do.

For some reason parents of today believe that by disciplining them that they are hurting the child's feelings or something, which is ridiculous. Kids NEED discipline to be able to grow up normally.

Also, a lot of parents treat them like adults, which leads them into believing that they can act like adults and do things like have boyfriends and sex when they're young.

Also, technology isn't the problem, it's the parenting (again). If you have a computer, have it out in an open space like a living room, that way you can see what the child is doing while online.

I think it's unfair to blame everything on parents, it's not all their fault.

if you're talking about growing up too fast and underage sex, you only need to look at how much sexual things the media imposes onto children and all the products marketed at them.

I'm not blaming ALL parents. Just those who don't discipline their children properly.

I've noticed this change happening everywhere. I'm 20 and believe it or not I got a cell phone only when I was 18 and because I was staying away from home! Before that I never really felt the need to have one, despite the fact the all my other friends got it by the age of 16. I really feel that one has the right to choose what he/she does with his/her life but teenagers in doing so seem to be missing out on their carefree teenage-hood! I think its not just the parents who are to blame for but the pace at which the society is moving today. I mean its like the old saying, today's bad-habit becomes tomorrow's culture! Considering the boom in technology, media and all other fields its quite difficult to stop or prevent children from being exposed to them. I believe its better to talk to the child about whats going on rather than letting him/her know from a non-reliable source. This way the parents can explain why certain things are bad and how they will affect the child in the future. Talking to children does have its merits as children are very curious at least from age 5-15 and absorb things pretty easily. Also it is better to let an individual use his/her own brains rather than following the silly trends of society or succumbing to peer-pressure. This again must be cultivated from a very young age. Reasoning should be used to discipline a child rather than orders. Parents should also not give-in to a child's irrational demand, specially to things he/she can do without. Again reason out why he/she can do without it and also let them know being flashy isn't the same as being cool.

With regards to sleeping around with people - the people in my graduating class had done it quite a few times, and I know one person who had two abortions by the time she was fourteen (my graduating class was this year, 2007).

One thing I'm very appalled at is the amount of kids under ten swearing like they're thirty and drunk. It's horrible!

I put much of the blame on the parents, but as the child gets older and grows into puberty, their friends are to blame as well. My brother is a prime example of this. He went away because of anger and drinking issues and came back, having dealt with everything and feeling a lot better. And then he started hanging out with the same people and he's back to who he was before.

And both of us were spanked when we were little. All that served to do was make us afraid of our dad.

People should discipline their kids, yes, but I know I will never resort to corporal punishment.

I was spanked when i was younger but only if i didnt listen or did something i wasnt supposed to do. i never feared my step father but feared what happened if i didnt follow the rules or do what i was told. and that still has a profound effect on me now. but as for kids acting older then what they are it is ridicules.

i have seen this happening and regarding the cell phone issue i never had 1 till i was 18 but before i got it i had tto have enough money for the phone and to pay the bill. i have a couple of cousins that have cell phones and there only 11 and 12. i over heard there parents talking 1 night at a familey gathering between the 2 of them there running the bill up over 300 dollars and there plans are the same as mine and i only pay 80 dollars a month.

This is a very interesting topic, specially comming from some one so young, I'm a mom, have two babies, my doughter is 2 years old and my baby boy is 4months; lately, don't know why, life is running too fast, you may see it, when I was on school no cllphones, no computers, now everyone has a cell and many can get a computer, my syster in law insist so much to get my baby girl in school at age of 3, is not crazy? she already know all the alphabet, know numbers 1 to 9 can count 1 to 14, know colors and she is only 2, I'm teaching her, even manners. My sister in law has a doughter too one year old and she only says "pee" at that age my baby said mama, papa, pez (fish) I put atententtion to my babies, many don't care, that's why they drop their babies in day nursery, next kindergarden finally school, when they grow there are no conection with their parents, no trust; I'm not perfect, but I wan to give them the bases, no strangers who don't care other people kids. Dropping babies too young makes an easier life for parents, so my question for those parents is why to have babies if they are going to leave them so young? (This excludes moms who really need to work)

A parent has to take care of kids education no tv or school, school is for math, scince, etc, even, some times social communication, but a kids do what they see in their home. No tech, the bases comes from parents.

I'm quite disappointed with youth nowadays. Kids are growing up way to fast. They are learning way too much than they need to from television and the internet or from friends who have access to these. I agree with you that kids are getting spoiled. There is so much new technology out there too from the computer, cellphone, video games. Kids need to out and do some physical activities or read a book. They are spending way too much time with technology. I hate to admit that I'm on the computer more than I would like to be. ;_;

When it comes to raising children, parents need to find that balance when raising their children. You can't just intervene when their children are out of hand. You need to be with them all the way. You need to let your kids know you'll be there for them. You need to be able to talk with your children and tell them what is going around nowadays or to listen to your kids when they need someone to listen to them. Parents need to keep up with their kids on television shows, whats going on the internet, and peer pressure in school so they can protect their kids and talk to them about the harm some things may cause. There needs to be discipline but to the point where both the parents and children are on an fair agreement.

I would talk deeper into what I've just said but have you all do some research.

And I'm not even going to touch the cellphone issue. xD

You're all right. So there are a lot of people who are disappointed in youth nowadays.

Yes !! im quite agree with you !!
I also think that kids are becoming adult more quickly !!

for example: there are lots of kids nowadays that already do make-up !!
They also got boyfriends !! there are also some kids who already got handphones !!
when I was a kid, there were nobody who got the same age of me got handphones !!
sometimes, I saw some kid who speaks like teenagers!

well...not ALL children are like this!

...I think it would be much better if I was borned during the medievial days...
Back when there was no pollution...
But of course there won't be any Internet...
But as a 12-year-old girl...
I think I may have more fun trying to worry about where my friends are hiding during a game of hide-and-seek than avoiding the gossip my classmates are talking about
For instance <who like who><she called him last night to talk about...><he wants to get her on his bed> and so on

but its just my opinion

Yeah, I agree with you. Make-up... yuck! x_x If I was given the chance to choose between the past and the present I'd rather be born in the past than in the present.

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Parents today are too stupid!
Forget about discipline, the real thing that's important is setting a good example. Are parents able to set one?

Sadly for most cases the answer is no.

Yep, your correct. I think it's because of all the soap operas on television that are about teen relationships. Adults are the ones who make those kinds of shows. And there are parents who treat their children different from what they should be treated.