Kids growing up faster

SFGate says that 10 is the new 15...and that kids who are 8-12 are doing things previously done mainly by teenagers.

Zach Plante is close with his parents — he plays baseball with them and, on weekends, helps with work in the small vineyard they keep at their northern California home. Lately, though, his parents have begun to notice subtle changes in their son. Among other things, he's announced that he wants to grow his hair longer — and sometimes greets his father with "Yo, Dad!"

Sounds almost exactly like my son, who is also 10, like Zach. He's already got the long hair.

In some ways, it's simply part of a kid's natural journey toward independence. But child development experts say that physical and behavioral changes that would have been typical of teenagers decades ago are now common among "tweens" — kids ages 8 to 12.

What happens when these kids get to 13 and older? In many cases, it just comes down to what the parents will allow and how far the kids push it. Considering the influence of peer groups, there is only so much you can do as a parent, but unless there are some limits, you will have problems.