What is your definite definition of childhood? Is there a universal line when a person ends childhood? Physically and mentally?

There's no given definition to how childhood goes and where it ends. It depends on the individual person's experience. To some, people think childhood are your whole elementary school years, but to many your middle school years are still your childhood, but late childhood, while your preschool/toddler years are early childhood. Heck even some who thinks a teenager equals a kid will believe that your childhood is still extended throughout high school, which is nonsense IMO. Age is just a number, it's about the particular person's development and how they get into the pop culture. Personally, I define the childhood as 3-12, and I believe your full years of elementary school is your peak, so whenever age you are 6-10 or which ever years you're turning 6-10, unless you started school late and had to wait another year, would be your peak childhood, so for me since I started elementary school in August 2001 and finished in May 2007, that be the entire years of 2002-2006 as my peak childhood at 6-10. Also, while 13 & 14 year old's are teenagers, they usually don't do the same stuff as 16 & 17 year old's can do, so I don't mind being 13 or 14 being the tail end of childhood depending if someone at that age is still in middle school or not. However, high school are your core adolescent years, so it's no longer childhood to me period. Personally I don't think a 12 & 13 year old is that much different, both are middle school aged and could still be called a child despite hitting puberty, growing out of kiddy stuff, and getting into the pop culture of music or something, and 12 & 13 year old's can't drive or get a job like a 16 or 17 year old could. 14 is usually when you start high school, so that's when my core teen years began which was in 2010. So overall, I consider early childhood as from the time your earliest memory in life occurred, all the way to the end of pre-K, which is about 2-4, 2-5, 3-5, 3-6, or 4-6 depending on the person. I define core childhood as your entire Kindergarten thru 5th grade years of elementary school, so that's usually 4-10, 5-10, 5-11, 6-11, or 6-12 depending on the person. Then finally, late childhood is your middle school life, so that's usually 10-13, 11-13, 11-14, 12-14, or 12-15 depending on the person.

Even though a 17 year old can be immature in some ways (I was 17 once  ;D), um, I don't consider a 17 year old a 'child' or a 'kid'.

In my opinion, your early childhood is 2-4, while your core childhood is 5-10.

Ages three through 12. 13 through 15 felt like "extended childhood" to me...

I consider childhood to be 3-10 with 5-8 being the peak.

11 years is weird. It's still a child but not really an adolescent yet, or at least a fully fledged one.

11 years is weird. It's still a child but not really an adolescent yet, or at least a fully fledged one.


I'd say that's more 12 or even 13. You're barely a teenager and you don't really hit the "teenage phase" in which you become grumpy and isolate yourself from everyone else until you're about 14 years old.

I'd say that's more 12 or even 13. You're barely a teenager and you don't really hit the "teenage phase" in which you become grumpy and isolate yourself from everyone else until you're about 14 years old.


Bingo, I don't consider age 13 as apart of my core teen years, it's not that much different from being 12, since both are middle school aged, still immature, and don't have the same privileges high school folks have, therefore I still consider 12 & 13 as my "late childhood". Yes, by the time I was 12 & 13 I was no longer watching cartoons or kiddy sitcoms, I started being aware of the politics and worldly events going on around me, and I was keeping up with the music coming out right around the time the electropop era of music was still pretty fresh and new. However, it's still the tail end of my childhood despite not being "core". I believe the peak of your teenage years begin once you start high school, so yep you're right, 14 years old is about right. I consider 14-17 as the peak of my teen years from 2010-2013, so that's basically the entire "early 2010's" as my peak adolescence, and I graduated high school in 2014 at 18 an started college last year.

6th grade is an odd year because whether it counts as middle school or elementary school varies by institution.  I remember it being significantly more rigorous than 5th grade, but I also had an incredibly eccentric teacher, so I'm probably not one to fairly gauge the difference.

From personal experience, I can say that the fall of 2004 (when I had just turned 12) was the last time that I watched Cartoon Network on a common basis, and even then, mostly for Codename: Kids Next Door and occasionally the Miguzi segments.  This, of course, coincided with the channel jumping the shark, but I began to lose interest even in KND towards the end of 2004, anyway.  I had already been introduced to things like top 40 music/artists/bands and T-rated/non-kiddie video games a few years earlier, but 6th grade was when I underwent the most changes as a person.  I think my formal introduction to Dance Dance Revolution on November 5, 2004 was the final death knell for my childhood, as DDR and its associated communities and music became cornerstone to me throughout my teenage years and basically eliminated watching cartoons as a common activity of mine during my free time.

6th grade is an odd year because whether it counts as middle school or elementary school varies by institution.  I remember it being significantly more rigorous than 5th grade, but I also had an incredibly eccentric teacher, so I'm probably not one to fairly gauge the difference.

From personal experience, I can say that the fall of 2004 (when I had just turned 12) was the last time that I watched Cartoon Network on a common basis, and even then, mostly for Codename: Kids Next Door and occasionally the Miguzi segments. This, of course, coincided with the channel jumping the shark, but I began to lose interest even in KND towards the end of 2004, anyway.  I had already been introduced to things like top 40 music/artists/bands and T-rated/non-kiddie video games a few years earlier, but 6th grade was when I underwent the most changes as a person.  I think my formal introduction to Dance Dance Revolution on November 5, 2004 was the final death knell for my childhood, as DDR and its associated communities and music became cornerstone to me throughout my teenage years and basically eliminated watching cartoons as a common activity of mine during my free time.


Off topic here, but yeah, for some reason by the time the CN City Era was in full effect, especially by 2005 when all the newer shows were noticeable, I started tuning into Miguzi and Toonami's programming much more rather than Cartoon Network's regular programming, since I tended to like some of its shows better at the time, probably because it didn't stand up to the variety of shows the lineups Cartoon Network's regular programming offered that was pre-2004. Although I still watched Fridays sometimes for new episodes of Foster's Home, Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Codename: KND, and Ed, Edd n Eddy. However, this was a different part of my peak childhood. As well as building lego toys and collecting Planet Hot Wheel cars were different stages of my peak childhood as well. Personally for me being born in 1996, I'd say the last time my childhood peaked was in Summer 2007, due to trips to Washington, DC for 4 days and then going to Nashville, TN which was really fun at the time. Then I entered middle school in a completely different environment, and my life changed so much, then I got the Wii and I started playing online gaming much more, it felt like my core childhood really ended for sure by that time. I remember being 12 in 2008 not doing anything that summer, just staying at home and we had to renovate the house and change all the rooms and floors, and my new sister was being born, then shortly after that Barack Obama was elected and it felt like we entered a completely different world, not just culturally around us, but even my personal life too, my childhood felt like it long was over by then.

I'd say for myself 3-12.
6-12 was spent in primary school, 12-18 was spent in secondary school.
12 is the cut-off year. 13 is difficult, but since I got aware of some things
that year, I don't consider it childhood anymore.

In my opinion, your early childhood is 2-4, while your core childhood is 5-10.


Oh definitely. I consider age 7-9 the peak of my childhood years!

6th grade is an odd year because whether it counts as middle school or elementary school varies by institution.  I remember it being significantly more rigorous than 5th grade, but I also had an incredibly eccentric teacher, so I'm probably not one to fairly gauge the difference.

From personal experience, I can say that the fall of 2004 (when I had just turned 12) was the last time that I watched Cartoon Network on a common basis, and even then, mostly for Codename: Kids Next Door and occasionally the Miguzi segments.  This, of course, coincided with the channel jumping the shark, but I began to lose interest even in KND towards the end of 2004, anyway.  I had already been introduced to things like top 40 music/artists/bands and T-rated/non-kiddie video games a few years earlier, but 6th grade was when I underwent the most changes as a person.  I think my formal introduction to Dance Dance Revolution on November 5, 2004 was the final death knell for my childhood, as DDR and its associated communities and music became cornerstone to me throughout my teenage years and basically eliminated watching cartoons as a common activity of mine during my free time.
So does 5th grade as well. I found out a while back that there are schools and districts that have 5th grade as part of middle school.

As for your second statement, this is true for me as well. Although I still watched cartoons, I stopped watching them often after I reached my double digits and began to shift towards the youth culture. Just like you with CN, Miguzi and KND were the blocks/shows I mostly watched during the City Era along with the anime/shows that aired on Toonami and AS. Then by Summer 2005, I lost interest as I was aging out of the audience and the fact that I lost cable at that time.

Just transitioning from elementary to MS was a huge change for me. My childhood was basically over despite me already getting into the youth culture years earlier. In addition to that, all of the kids channels I had grew up watching had already made their changes, so it was a sign that I was not a kid anymore.

Age 11-13: Grey and in between?  ???  ???

Age 11-13: Grey and in between?  ???  ???
I would say yes because in that range, people are not in childhood anymore; however, they aren't considered adolescents by the majority either.

Oh definitely. I consider age 7-9 the peak of my childhood years!


I consider 6-10 as my peak childhood, 7-9 is right in between there, and 8 is your ultimate peak in the middle! Makes sense bruh bruh!

Age 11-13: Grey and in between?  ???  ???


Middle school aged or late childhood, there you go again!

I would say yes because in that range, people are not in childhood anymore; however, they aren't considered adolescents by the majority either.


Well 11-13 could be considered as "late childhood", or your preteen/early teen stage in middle school. But yes definitely not your core childhood anymore.

Well 11-13 could be considered as "late childhood", or your preteen/early teen stage in middle school. But yes definitely not your core childhood anymore.
Exactly. They are in between childhood and adolescence; however, it's up to the person on how they see themselves at those stages.

I would say yes because in that range, people are not in childhood anymore; however, they aren't considered adolescents by the majority either.


13 is pretty much an adolescent, even if you haven't reached puberty yet. However, you could still be considered a kid at 13. Now my brain hurts!

13 is pretty much an adolescent, even if you haven't reached puberty yet. However, you could still be considered a kid at 13. Now my brain hurts!
Yeah, that's what I mean, but once again, it depends on the person. You could consider yourself an adolescent at 11 or even 10 when you were one.

You guys have pretty much said it!
3-4 early childhood
5-8 or 5-9 peak childhood
10-11 LATE childhood


I begun to feel different once I turned 9 in 2004, and everything in pop cultural began to feel different too!
Then in the latter half of 2005, 10, it defiantly didn't feel like my peak childhood anymore. I wasn't doing the things I was doing at 6 and 7!

What is your definite definition of childhood? Is there a universal line when a person ends childhood? Physically and mentally?


childhood would probably begin at age 5-10.

I'll be 40 next year and I still haven't grown up.  ;D LOL!!

I'll be 40 next year and I still haven't grown up.  ;D LOL!!

lol ;D

I'll be 40 next year and I still haven't grown up.  ;D LOL!!


Cool!  :)

childhood would probably begin at age 5-10.


I agree mostly  8)

I would say yes because in that range, people are not in childhood anymore; however, they aren't considered adolescents by the majority either.


I would even go as far as to say that age 10 is pretty 'in-betweeny'.

I would even go as far as to say that age 10 is pretty 'in-betweeny'.
this too as even some 10 year olds are in middle school depending on their school district and that they are in their double digits.

I'll be 40 next year and I still haven't grown up.  ;D LOL!!


I'll be 42 next year and sometimes I still have the mentality of a teenager.

Childhood for me is those innocent years.

I find wikipedia's age divisions right on spot:

Newborn (ages 0–5 weeks)
Infant (ages 5 weeks – 1 year)
Toddler (ages 1–3 years)
Preschooler (ages 3–5 years)
School-aged child (ages 5–12 years)
Adolescent (ages 13–19)

According to that definition, childhood would be years 3-12. And the year 3 is very impotant because that's the age when children start interacting with other children of their age. The year 12 would be the end of chilhood because boys and girls go through a lot of hormonal changes  and kid games no longer seem interesting to them (change in mindset.)

I'd consider peak childhood ages 6-11 because that's when the child has more freedom from their parents and also has the ability to form more amount of memories. But times change... so I guess nowadays adolescence starts at 10.  Children are not what they used to be before, they grow up so fast, so those age divisions might change in the future, who knows. :D

Childhood ends at age 12, and then the person is considered an adolescent which is close to being an adult.

I'd consider peak childhood ages 6-11 because that's when the child has more freedom from their parents and also has the ability to form more amount of memories. But times change... so I guess nowadays adolescence starts at 10.  Children are not what they used to be before, they grow up so fast, so those age divisions might change in the future, who knows. :D


Although I consider 6-10 as my core/peak childhood, since those were my full time elementary school aged years, and not 11, because at age 11 I transitioned from elementary school to middle school, while at age 5 I transitioned from preschool to Kindergarten. So 5 & 11 are like transitional ages, while 6-10 are your full ages when you are innocent and most of your core childhood memories come from. To me there is a huge attitude change between your 5 & 6 year old self in life, while there is an attitude change between your 10 & 11 year old self in life. I define childhood as 3-13, or toddler life through middle school. I consider 3-5 as early childhood, 6-10 as peak childhood, and 11-13 as late childhood. Or another way I view it is like this.

main childhood: 5-11

core childhood: 6-10

peak childhood: 7-9

ultimate peak: 8

I was born in 1996 (February), so I associate the entire years of 2002-2006 with my peak childhood. Favorite cartoons I watched on TV, lego toys I built, cards I collected/played with, and hot wheels cars I gathered, that's mostly early 2000's for me. Reality competition shows I watched, video games I played, live-action sitcoms I enjoyed, and vacations I went to, that's mostly mid 2000's for me. All different stages of childhood but still childhood. However, it's all an opinion though and it depends on how well the person's memories are. To me, if you include 5 in childhood, then you gotta include 11, but if you eliminate 5, then you gotta eliminate 11 and keep 6-10 in there.

Although I consider 6-10 as my core/peak childhood, since those were my full time elementary school aged years, and not 11, because at age 11 I transitioned from elementary school to middle school, while at age 5 I transitioned from preschool to Kindergarten. So 5 & 11 are like transitional ages, while 6-10 are your full ages when you are innocent and most of your core childhood memories come from. To me there is a huge attitude change between your 5 & 6 year old self in life, while there is an attitude change between your 10 & 11 year old self in life. I define childhood as 3-13, or toddler life through middle school. I consider 3-5 as early childhood, 6-10 as peak childhood, and 11-13 as late childhood. Or another way I view it is like this.

main childhood: 5-11

core childhood: 6-10

peak childhood: 7-9

ultimate peak: 8

I was born in 1996 (February), so I associate the entire years of 2002-2006 with my peak childhood. Favorite cartoons I watched on TV, lego toys I built, cards I collected/played with, and hot wheels cars I gathered, that's mostly early 2000's for me. Reality competition shows I watched, video games I played, live-action sitcoms I enjoyed, and vacations I went to, that's mostly mid 2000's for me. All different stages of childhood but still childhood. However, it's all an opinion though and it depends on how well the person's memories are. To me, if you include 5 in childhood, then you gotta include 11, but if you eliminate 5, then you gotta eliminate 11 and keep 6-10 in there.

I still see 5 as your peak childhood as well. At least I thought that when I turned 5 in 2000. Since I was born in 1995(October),I associate fall 1998-summer 2000 as early, I associate fall 2000-summer 2004 as my peak. But I guess it's 2001-2004 in it's entirety. Cause, late 2004-summer 2005 was weird for me. I felt VERY weird when I was 9. I didn't feel like a big kid QUITE yet, but defiantly not little like before. I've said this before fall of 2005 (when I turned 10) I felt different and older. As a matter of fact I felt the SAME at 10 and 11.
But 5 is kinda debatable. Cause preschool, pre K, and Kindergarten all felt the same to me! 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade felt the same. 4th and 5th grade felt the same. 7th and 8th grade both felt the same, ESPECIALLY the amount of change that took place during THOSE years.

I still see 5 as your peak childhood as well. At least I thought that when I turned 5 in 2000. Since I was born in 1995(October),I associate fall 1998-summer 2000 as early, I associate fall 2000-summer 2004 as my peak. But I guess it's 2001-2004 in it's entirety. Cause, late 2004-summer 2005 was weird for me. I felt VERY weird when I was 9. I didn't feel like a big kid QUITE yet, but defiantly not little like before. I've said this before fall of 2005 (when I turned 10) I felt different and older. As a matter of fact I felt the SAME at 10 and 11.
But 5 is kinda debatable. Cause preschool, pre K, and Kindergarten all felt the same to me! 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade felt the same. 4th and 5th grade felt the same. 7th and 8th grade both felt the same, ESPECIALLY the amount of change that took place during THOSE years.


Weird, am I the only one who feels like Kindergarten life is a huge jump than pre-K rather than Kindergarten to 1st grade? I didn't first walk into elementary school until I started Kindergarten. My preschool had a separate name at a different location and it was for preschoolers and pre-K age 3-5. So for me, I look at my preschool & pre-K life similar (1999-2001), Kindergarten & 1st grade life similar (2001-2003), 2nd & 3rd grade life similar (2003-2005), and 4th & 5th grade life similar (2005-2007). That's just me though. I don't think Kindergarten is similar to preschool or pre-K IMO. Especially when it comes to memories crystallizing. My Kindergarten year felt so different than pre-K culturally, mentally, location wise, and how well my memories were. Pre-K still feels like early childhood to me like preschool, while Kindergarten feels like peak childhood to me like 1st grade. Heck to this day I can still get half of the names that were on my Kindergarten roster and I remember actually making friends in the class, and we played on the same playground as 1st & 2nd graders. While the 3rd-5th graders were in the back playground. While when I was in pre-K I didn't make any friends, I don't remember anybody who was on my roster except for one guy, only because he still stayed in school with me throughout my K-12 years, and I was at a totally different location and the playground was extremely small and tiny. We ate lunch inside the preschool room, but in Kindergarten we ate in a big cafeteria like the other 1st-5th graders did. I went to P.E., music, and art in Kindergarten, I didn't do that in pre-K.

I'll be 42 next year and sometimes I still have the mentality of a teenager.


What's your zodiac sign?

For some reason I always think that adolescence begins at age 12.

What's your zodiac sign?


I'm a Pisces.

Sorry for reviving an old topic, but I was actually thinking about this just earlier and I wanted to jot down my thoughts.

To be honest, I actually consider age 4 (2003) to be the start of my core childhood. Not only was it the year I started pre-school, it's the first year I can vividly remember what I was doing and I was already partaking in kids culture. My memories of 2003 are just as clear as my memories from when I was 5-6 and I even received a PS2 for Christmas that year, so from my own perspective, it seems a bit strange to leave it out from the rest of my core childhood. It's a complete contrast to 2002, when I was only 3 years old and I only have a handful of memories from that year.

I know a lot of people often regard starting primary/elementary school as being the start of core childhood, but I think you could make a case for ages 4-5 to be considered "core childhood" as well.

What is your definite definition of childhood? Is there a universal line when a person ends childhood? Physically and mentally?


The definition varies. Some use brain development or education. But, I think childhood ends when a person takes an active role in the direction of their life. Childhood is a very passive stage.

  I think childhood ends when a person takes an active role in the direction of their life. Childhood is a very passive stage.


I'm not sure I agree with this. Childhood ends circa age 11 whether someone takes an active role in the direction of their life or not. Childhood is not determined by the way somebody acts or feels. There could be a 50 year old who is passive and ACTS like a child, but they are not technically a "child".  If someone past the age of 11 is still acting "like a child", the parents have reason to be worried.

I guess by childhood most people mean from the age of about 3 to about 12. The early teen phase is weird still however, honestly people are still a bit childish then but they're not really actually young children anymore. I think around 15/16 is when you're absolutely not a child anymore and basically a very young person at that point. 12-14 is somewhere in between childhood and being very young, I don't know how to define it tbh.

3-10. And 10-12 is that age where you think only losers watch cartoons.

The years of childhood are the years spent at school.

To me, 3-5 are your early childhood years. The years when you're in preschool and not yet old enough to do most things yourself. 6-9 are your main kid years when you have a bit more freedom and into all the good kid stuff. 10-12 is that awkward grey area in between childhood and adolescence. I like to call this "The double digits of childhood" 

The years of childhood are the years spent at school.

For preschool and elementary yeah.

3-10. And 10-12 is that age where you think only losers watch cartoons.


I'm 18 and I still watch Spongebob.

I'm 18 and I still watch Spongebob.
Warner Brothers Cartoons for me, and I am slightly older.

To me, age 10 to 14 is an 'in-between' stage. Once you're 15, all the crumbs of childhood are dead.

I'm 18 and I still watch Spongebob.

Spongebob is for all ages ;D

Spongebob is for all ages ;D
There is a feature film too!

Infancy: Birth - 2 years old
Childhood: 3-12 years old
Adolescence: 13-19 years old

Warner Brothers Cartoons for me, and I am slightly older.


I do watch some cartoons occasionally.

I do watch some cartoons occasionally.
I was brought up on the classics of Tom and Jerry.

I was brought up on the classics of Tom and Jerry.



me too.

I was brought up on the classics of Tom and Jerry.

Me too ;D. Tom And Jerry is timeless. Pretty sure they still show it today.

Around age 14 was when sort of the last parts of childhood went for me. I still watched Cartoon Network occasionally up until around the year I started high school, but after that I stopped watching cartoons all together because I didn't want to have other kids call me uncool.

Around age 14 was when sort of the last parts of childhood went for me. I still watched Cartoon Network occasionally up until around the year I started high school, but after that I stopped watching cartoons all together because I didn't want to have other kids call me uncool.


12/13 is that awkward spot where it can really go either way. My little sisters are 12 years old now and they don't do any more kiddy stuff. They prefer watching anime/TV shows meant for teens., but they still act like little kids. I was much the same way.

To me, age 10 to 14 is an 'in-between' stage. Once you're 15, all the crumbs of childhood are dead.


Yup, just like when your 25, all of your adolescene/early 20s are gone, you're a full adult.

Baby: 0-1 Year old
Toddler: 1/2 Years old
Early Childhood: 3/4 Years old
Core Childhood: 5-10 Years old
Preteen: 11/12 Years old
Teenager: 13-19 Years old
Early 20s: 20-24 Years old
Adult: 25+ Years old

12/13 is that awkward spot where it can really go either way. My little sisters are 12 years old now and they don't do any more kiddy stuff. They prefer watching anime/TV shows meant for teens., but they still act like little kids. I was much the same way.

13 isn't an awkward spot. ThirTEEN. You're officially a teenager.

The suffix -teen is only used in the English language.

In most cases, you have to be at least 13 to legally have a social media account, so it makes the most sense to start the teen years at 13 IMO. I understand kids can easily lie about their age, but that's not my point.

I always thought starting teen years at 13 was very random, it only makes sense because of the suffix -teen. The numbers 13 to 19 in every other language besides English doesn't have a suffix exclusive to numbers 13-19. Just saying!


Yes I see what you mean, however for simplicity's sake I still consider 13-19 as teenage years  ;)

Yeah, but 12 year olds just aren't kid kids anymore, I think childhood is more like ages 3-11, not 3-12.


Ye I agree, at 12 I felt more like a teenager than a kid tbh whereas when I was 11 I was still like a kid

Yeah, but 12 year olds just aren't kid kids anymore, I think childhood is more like ages 3-11, not 3-12.

I can see where you're coming from since age 12 is usually when kids start puberty and are in middle school. That's the real awkward age IMO.

3-11 or 3-12, depending on the person.

3-11 or 3-12, depending on the person.


I considered 12 year olds as still being a kid and 13 year olds as the first teenagers, while I also considered humans under 3 as babies.

me too 12 still child, 13 teen 18 young adult

13 isn't an awkward spot. ThirTEEN. You're officially a teenager.


But weren't you arguing a few threads ago that 18/19 aren't teenagers? 🤔

Personally, when I was 13, I still had my parents drive me everywhere and buy things for me. It was not that different from being a kid. When I was 14, I got a job, I hopped on my bike and rode around the city myself, took the bus/train by myself, went out without my parents, even travelled to other cities without my parents etc. At 14 I felt like a real teenager, but not at 13. Being 13 felt more similar to being 12 than to being 14.

But weren't you arguing a few threads ago that 18/19 aren't teenagers? 🤔

Personally, when I was 13, I still had my parents drive me everywhere and buy things for me. It was not that different from being a kid. When I was 14, I got a job, I hopped on my bike and rode around the city myself, took the bus/train by myself, went out without my parents, even travelled to other cities without my parents etc. At 14 I felt like a real teenager, but not at 13. Being 13 felt more similar to being 12 than to being 14.

Umm no. I said that I think ages 14-17 are the real teenage years. I even said that I’ll still technically be a teen in 2020-2021

But weren't you arguing a few threads ago that 18/19 aren't teenagers? 🤔

Personally, when I was 13, I still had my parents drive me everywhere and buy things for me. It was not that different from being a kid. When I was 14, I got a job, I hopped on my bike and rode around the city myself, took the bus/train by myself, went out without my parents, even travelled to other cities without my parents etc. At 14 I felt like a real teenager, but not at 13. Being 13 felt more similar to being 12 than to being 14.

The things you listed have more to do with how strict you parents are rather than whether you're a teenager or not. I still can't do most of these things and I'm 16. Does that mean I'm not a teenager?

Yup, just like when your 25, all of your adolescene/early 20s are gone, you're a full adult.


Then you're in your 30's and 40's and wonder where did my life go? :o

The things you listed have more to do with how strict you parents are rather than whether you're a teenager or not. I still can't do most of these things and I'm 16. Does that mean I'm not a teenager?


You're not allowed to go out without your parents?  ???

Either way, I'm sure your parents treat you differently now than when you were 13.

Most of kids/teens nowadays just stay in their bedroom all-day and play on their tech.


Sounds like me when I was a teenager. ;D

I got a job so I could buy video games. ;D

You're not allowed to go out without your parents?  ???

Either way, I'm sure your parents treat you differently now than when you were 13.

My parents treated me different when I was 12 compared to when I was 11.

By age 12, I was capable of watching myself so I no longer needed a babysitter. Right now, at 15 almost 16, I can go to Target which is right next to my neighborhood by myself and get stuff.

My parents treated me different when I was 12 compared to when I was 11.

By age 12, I was capable of watching myself so I no longer needed a babysitter. Right now, at 15 almost 16, I can go to Target which is right next to my neighborhood by myself and get stuff.


My mom started leaving me home alone when I was 10, which I think is the legal age you can leave your child home alone in Canada.

Wait, I lied. I actually got my first job at 10. Me and my friends woule shovel the snow off people's driveways for $2 (for each of us). Then we'd go to the video store across the street to rent a VHS or a video game and buy TONS of candy. Man, those were the days. Thankfully I didn't have to pay for my own dental expenses ;D

When I moved out of the farm.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRp1OpL9bYqRFih4fysL3DLKkPY1tbl9YgygArWoiYxnbpN71Hf

Most of kids/teens nowadays just stay in their bedroom all-day and play on their tech.


When you grow up, you have a job, make money and go home, watch TV, eat dinner and go to sleep.

When you grow up, you have a job, make money and go home, watch TV, eat dinner and go to sleep.
Oh the memories!

When you grow up, you have a job, make money and go home, watch TV, eat dinner and go to sleep.


Dinner sounds nice ;D

When you grow up, you have a job, make money and go home, watch TV, eat dinner and go to sleep.
Did someone mention food?

Did someone mention food?


That's what you do when you go home for the day.

That's what you do when you go home for the day.
Mention or think about it?

Mention or think about it?


think about it then eat it.

This is how I considered each human stage to be:

Infant/Toddler: 0-2 years
Preschooler/K-er: 3-6 years
Core Childhood: 7-12 years
Teenager: 13-17 years
Adult: 18+ years

This is how I considered each human stage to be:

Infant/Toddler: 0-2 years
Preschooler/K-er: 3-6 years
Core Childhood: 7-12 years
Teenager: 13-17 years
Adult: 18+ years


Age 6 is not a preschooler IMO. Half of 6 year old's are halfway done with Kindergarten while the other half are already in 1st grade with the core childhood group. By age 6 you're playing with toys that are age 6/7 & up and you're watching big kid shows on TV that are not educational at all. Otherwise I agree with your opinion on this. I also believe that by the time you're about to leave Kindergarten you've learned enough information to truly interact with the real world and do more things independently that you needed help with by your parents when you were 3 or 4 years old. I mean the little basic things of course.

Age 6 is not a preschooler IMO. Half of 6 year old's are halfway done with Kindergarten while the other half are already in 1st grade with the core childhood group. By age 6 you're playing with toys that are age 6/7 & up and you're watching big kid shows on TV that are not educational at all. Otherwise I agree with your opinion on this. I also believe that by the time you're about to leave Kindergarten you've learned enough information to truly interact with the real world and do more things independently that you needed help with by your parents when you were 3 or 4 years old. I mean the little basic things of course.

It depends. Some people get held back.

I personally think 6-9 makes the most sense when it comes to core childhood.

It depends. Some people get held back.

I personally think 6-9 makes the most sense when it comes to core childhood.


Which means there's 7 year old's in Kindergarten too. There are 5 1/2 year old's who start 1st grade. Overall, I don't believe a 6 year old belongs with 3 and 4 year old's at all. I barely remember anything at age 3 or 4. I have memories but those are no where near significant to me as 6. I remember 2002 and its pop culture like it was yesterday. 1999 and 2000 feel like a million years ago to me and I barely remember the pop culture at the time. I was on a flag football team with 7-10 year old's when I was 6.

Which means there's 7 year old's in Kindergarten too. There are 5 1/2 year old's who start 1st grade. Overall, I don't believe a 6 year old belongs with 3 and 4 year old's at all. I barely remember anything at age 3 or 4. I have memories but those are no where near significant to me as 6. I remember 2002 and its pop culture like it was yesterday. 1999 and 2000 feel like a million years ago to me and I barely remember the pop culture at the time. I was on a flag football team with 7-10 year old's when I was 6.

I can vividly remember being age four, but age three is kind of blurry. I didn’t start paying attention to pop culture until I was about ten.

I can vividly remember being age four, but age three is kind of blurry. I didn’t start paying attention to pop culture until I was about ten.


I think it depends on what type of pop culture you're talking about. I didn't start keeping up with the most popular music on billboard on my own until I was 11, but I can remember the 2004 Olympics, sports teams of my home state since 2002, the TV shows and movies since 2001/02, the fad's that were relevant at the time, etc. I obviously payed way more attention to kid culture when I was in elementary school, but mainstream pop culture and the news I didn't pay attention to more until I was 11. I do remember deaths of celebrities and historical legends as early as 8 years old. Like Rosa Parks dying in 2005. I definitely remember Hurricane Katrina like yesterday (I was 9 at the time). I only vaguely remember 9/11 (I was 5 at the time). I don't ever remember learning about 9/11 in school though, it's like I've known it my whole life from that day for some reason.

I think it depends on what type of pop culture you're talking about. I didn't start keeping up with the most popular music on billboard on my own until I was 11, but I can remember the 2004 Olympics, sports teams of my home state since 2002, the TV shows and movies since 2001/02, the fad's that were relevant at the time, etc. I obviously payed way more attention to kid culture when I was in elementary school, but mainstream pop culture and the news I didn't pay attention to more until I was 11. I do remember deaths of celebrities and historical legends as early as 8 years old. Like Rosa Parks dying in 2005. I definitely remember Hurricane Katrina like yesterday (I was 9 at the time). I only vaguely remember 9/11 (I was 5 at the time). I don't ever remember learning about 9/11 in school though, it's like I've known it my whole life from that day for some reason.

Yeah I was talking about mainstream music. I started listening to more of it at age 10.
I remember the death of Michael Jackson. I was 7 years old when he died. I also remember hurricane sandy back in 2012 when I was 10. I don’t remember hurricane Katrina though.

I was born 9 months after 9/11 so I could’ve been conceived on that day for all you know.

Talking about the 3-6 age span, I meant to call it "early childhood", but instead, I decided to use the words "preschooler" and "kindergartner", because I wanted to use a better word for the 3-6 span.

Talking about the 3-6 age span, I meant to call it "early childhood", but instead, I decided to use the words "preschooler" and "kindergartner", because I wanted to use a better word for the 3-6 span.

I don't think age 6 is early childhood anymore. 5 is debatable, but I personally consider age 10 late childhood IMO.

Talking about the 3-6 age span, I meant to call it "early childhood", but instead, I decided to use the words "preschooler" and "kindergartner", because I wanted to use a better word for the 3-6 span.


Completely disagree with you.

I just like using the 6-9 definition as core childhood since it's mathematically in the middle of the 3-12 range and most 6-9-year-olds are in elementary but still in single digits. I'm just speaking from personal experience though. My 10-year-old self was more like my 11-year-old self than my 9-year-old self. My 5-year-old self is debatable though. I'd say in early 2007 it was more like my 4-year-old self but with stronger memories, but by August 2007 AKA when I started Kindergarten I was definitely more like my 6-year-old self.

Talking about the 3-6 age span, I meant to call it "early childhood", but instead, I decided to use the words "preschooler" and "kindergartner", because I wanted to use a better word for the 3-6 span.


Yeah, 5 is debatable because half of the 5 year old's are still in pre-K while the other half are in Kindergarten. 5 year old's are still learning basic words and shapes and are still watching educational kid shows on TV. That's no longer the case once you turn 6. Remember, not all 6 year old's are Kindergarteners, a lot of them are 1st graders with the big kid crowd and even the 6 year old's still in Kindergarten are towards the end of the year when they've already mastered most of their basic knowledge enough to understand the real world independently and do more things independently in general. Even when I was 6 years old still in Kindergarten there were things I thought were "too babyish" that I would have still been into at age 3 & 4. When one of my younger cousins was 6 (in Kindergarten), he was watching Gumball and Steven Universe on Cartoon Network, reading his Pokemon book, playing LEGOS (small advanced legos, not giant preschool legos), and was addicted to his Nintendo 3DS with a lot of games. All activities that 3 and 4 year old's definitely aren't old enough to do yet.

Yeah, 5 is debatable because half of the 5 year old's are still in pre-K while the other half are in Kindergarten. 5 year old's are still learning basic words and shapes and are still watching educational kid shows on TV. That's no longer the case once you turn 6. Remember, not all 6 year old's are Kindergarteners, a lot of them are 1st graders with the big kid crowd and even the 6 year old's still in Kindergarten are towards the end of the year when they've already mastered most of their basic knowledge enough to understand the real world independently and do more things independently in general. Even when I was 6 years old still in Kindergarten there were things I thought were "too babyish" that I would have still been into at age 3 & 4. When one of my younger cousins was 6 (in Kindergarten), he was watching Gumball and Steven Universe on Cartoon Network, reading his Pokemon book, playing LEGOS (small advanced legos, not giant preschool legos), and was addicted to his Nintendo 3DS with a lot of games. All activities that 3 and 4 year old's definitely aren't old enough to do yet.

That was kind of how I was well. When I turned 10 I no longer felt I was in my "core" childhood. I just felt like a pre-teen by that point due to the fact that I was in my double digits but still under 13.

5 and 10 are very gray areas IMO.

5-10 are core childhood for me. I started Year 1 the day I turned 5 so I would defiently classify that and all years through 10 as core childhood, although by the end it was a bit more like preteen.

I feel like 2009 was the last year I felt like just a kid.

Ages 4 to 13, final answer.

Ages 4 to 13, final answer.

Strongly disagree. 13 is apart of the teenage years.

I would say 4-12.

Strongly disagree. 13 is apart of the teenage years.


Freudian slip?

4-11

Once you turn 13, to me, you're out of childhood. Puberty, or not.  :D

Once you turn 13, to me, you're out of childhood. Puberty, or not.  :D


I used to be a huge fan of Codename: Kids Next Door back then, so I dreaded turning 13. When my 13th birthday came, I remember my brother saying "ew, you're à teenager now, you're the enemy"  :-[ I didn't feel any different from being 12 though personally and would have still called myself a kid. I didn't celebrate my birthday that year.

Which means there's 7 year old's in Kindergarten too. There are 5 1/2 year old's who start 1st grade. Overall, I don't believe a 6 year old belongs with 3 and 4 year old's at all. I barely remember anything at age 3 or 4. I have memories but those are no where near significant to me as 6. I remember 2002 and its pop culture like it was yesterday. 1999 and 2000 feel like a million years ago to me and I barely remember the pop culture at the time. I was on a flag football team with 7-10 year old's when I was 6.


I was never good at sports.

I was never good at sports.


I wasn't good at sports at school neither, but I feel so dumb about it now. Being fit is so easy. I'm more athletic at 25 than at any point in my life.  8)

I was never good at sports.
I now wished I was, and my life may had gone in a complete different direct, but my schooling let me down.

If I split up my childhood influences starting at 2004 at age 3:
2004: 40%
2005: 50%
2006: 65%
2007: 90%
2008: 100%
2009: 100%
2010: 98%
2011: 90% (first year with teen influences)
2012: 85%
2013: 75% at the beginning, 50% at the end
2014: 20%
2015: 20% at beginning, 0% at the end.

If I split up my childhood influences starting at 2004 at age 3:
2004: 40%
2005: 50%
2006: 65%
2007: 90%
2008: 100%
2009: 100%
2010: 98%
2011: 90% (first year with teen influences)
2012: 85%
2013: 75% at the beginning, 50% at the end
2014: 20%
2015: 20% at beginning, 0% at the end.


For me, it's probably like this:

2002: 50%
2003: 60%
2004: 75%
2005: 90%
2006: 100% (I claim both 2006 and 2007 as being the "peak" of my childhood)
2007: 100%
2008: 90%
2009: 75%
2010: 60%
2011: 50%
2012: 20%
2013: 10%
2014: 0%

For me it's like this...

2005: 50%
2006: 60%
2007: 95%
2008: 100%
2009: 100%
2010: 100%
2011: 95%
2012: 70%
2013: 50%
2014: 20%
2015: 5%
2016: 0%

I now wished I was, and my life may had gone in a complete different direct, but my schooling let me down.


Same. I got picked on most in gym class, especially n the changing rooms, and the coach would turn a blind eye. I guess that made me aversive to the whole thing, I would sleep in and skip gym class often. One time I got my mom to lie and tell the school I had a doctor's appointment so I could skip gym ;D

Here’s my childhood influences:

2008: 20%
2009: 40%
2010: 60%
2011: 80%
2012: 100%
2013: 100%
2014: 80%
2015: 60%
2016: 40%
2017: 20%

I feel like 2013 is the quintessential year of my childhood.

I turned 13 in 2018, so I consider that the first year of my teenagehood.

1995 (age 3): 15%
1996: 25%
1997: 45%
1998: 70%
1999: 100%
2000: 100%
2001: 80%
2002: 60%
2003: 30%
2004 (age 12): 15%