There have been interesting reports from both sides of the world about childhood recently. Over 100 academics and professionals in the UK have written an open letter to the Telegraph stating childhood is under threat due to lack of understanding by politicians and the general public, of the realities and subtleties of childhood.

The authors of the letter claimed that the mental and physical health of children is under threat due to hyper-academic culture, rapid technological change, less real play, too much TV, too much junk food and less exposure to adults than in the past. The letter claimed, “Our society rightly takes great pains to protect children from physical harm, but seems to have lost sight of their emotional and social needs. It’s now clear that the mental health of an unacceptable number of children is being unnecessarily compromised, and that this is almost certainly key factor in the rise of substance abuse, violence and self-harm amongst our young people.”

The letter has caused quite a debate in the UK, largely due to weight of numbers of professionals who signed the letter.

Recently there have been a number of reports that should raise eyebrows in Australia about similar issues. In September it was reported in The Age in Melbourne that children under the age of 12 have a new set of fears. Being hit by a car, fear of bombing by terrorists and burglars have now replaced being sent to the principal’s office, catching germs and falling over which occupied their thoughts 20 years ago.

This new study from the Queensland University of Technology found that children are no less scared today than they were in the past. However the nature of their fears has changed and reflect the impact of world events on kids.

Another report conducted by Quantum Research found that cancer, terrorism and being a victim of crime are now major concerns for many 10 to 17 year olds.  Safety concerns have no overtaken more personal issues such as body image, dieting as the major worries for young people.

We are beginning to see the results of the blurring of the lines between adulthood and childhood that has occurred over a number of years. As well getting the privileges of adulthood children now get the fears and anxieties that adults experience as well. This is before they are ready to cope with or process the realities of an adult world.

Clive Hamilton of the Australia Institute recently gave the advertising industry a pasting for its sexual exploitation of girls. Hamilton described the sexualisation of girlhood in the media as “corporate pedophilia” and likened to a form of child abuse.

No doubt girls are dressing and acting older than ever before. They move from toys to boys in the blink of an eye. It seems for most girls ten is the new fifteen when it comes to how they look and what they wear.

Girls have always enjoyed dressing up in their mother’s clothes but they used to put them back in their mother’s wardrobes after playing dress-ups. Now many girls are wearing adult-like clothes all the time and have adult-like accessories such as mobiles and MP3 players. Nearly 50 per cent of children’s parties have some part outsourced to a professional so it seems that even their parties are adult-like.

No doubt on both sides of the world the boundaries between adulthood and childhood continue to be blurred. It seems in the UK and in Australia we need to start talking about ways to improve children’s well-being.

Michael Grose, a popular parenting expert, shows you practical ways to raise happy, confident, well-behaved kids and resilient teenagers. Improve children’s confidence and behaviour now and get Michael’s free ebook ’25 ways to speak so children will listen’ at http://www.parentingideas.com.au . While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids newsletter and get regular updates to build your 21st Century parenting manual.