[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Maturity of kids in the Potterverse (moved from main list)

[Kathryn]

-------Original Message-------

From: HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com
Date: 17 June 2002 20:49:37
To: HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Maturity of kids in the Potterverse (moved
from main list)

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Laura Ingalls Huntley" <huntleyl at m...> 
wrote:
> Alright..this is an attempt to move this dangerously OT topic to 
the appropriate list before the mods *make* us move..
> 
> Ali said:
> >Another point I think is that British kids are still less 
> >sophisticated than their American counterparts.
> 
> *frowns* Do you mean in an emotional-maturity kind of way? Cause I 
can't really agree with you there at all.
> 
> If you mean in a sexual way, however, I *can* see where you get 
this perception. American teens certainly have a big reputation for 
being very sexual at a very early age.

I do mean in a sexual way, but also - and please note this is my 
perception - they act like "adults" at a younger age. They seem to 
have thrown off the yoke of parental guidelines a little earlier.
(Again, opinion based on misleading TV programmes).In terms of 
emotional-maturity, I actually don't know. If you accept that the 
British are more reserved and less likely to discuss things, direct 
comparison is then quite difficult. (I'm not sure I do accept that 
but thats probably another argument...)

I think one point to be made is that the majority of the kids at hogwarts
are from a very different society to 'normal' kids - no TV, no movies, wow!
So no real external influences telling them how they 'should' be acting.

That wasn't what I started this reply to say though. On the point of
comparing British kids to US kids i can't say much But I know I did notice
when i was on our many exchange programs with German schools, and later when
I was at university in Germany, I noticed that German kids and young people
seem to be at least 2 or 3 years behind British kids in maturity. When I was
over there when I was 17 I noticed that the German students of my age were
still at the "my mate likes your mate" stage and I noticed something similar
later when I was at uni too.

K