Children Being Asked to Grow Up Too Fast, Parents Believe

An overwhelming majority of today’s mothers and fathers believe their children are being asked to grow up too fast, according to a recent survey.

But at the same time, most parents want their children to start learning about computers in grade school or earlier.

The study indicated that many parents are concerned about the type of television programs their children are watching, and 85% said they restrict viewing selections. Included on the banned list are programs with a high degree of violence, explicit sex acts and horror scenes.

The survey, in which more than 2,000 parents participated, was conducted by Showtoons, a line of children’s underwear from Hanes Knitwear Inc., in cooperation with Kinder-Care Learning Centers across the nation.

In addition to early computer instruction, most parents considered learning a second language an educational plus, with grade school or even the preschool age believed to be the best time to start.

Spanish was is the choice of 58% as the language that would be of the most benefit in later years, with French the choice of 28%.

According to the survey, only 20% of the parents are willing to pick up the entire bill for college costs, with 39% planning to ask their children to contribute at least half of all college expenses.