Growing up too fast or not fast enough?

Have you ever noticed how society is pushing kids to grow up too fast? Not in all ways, but in dress & sexuality especially.  Kids are not allowed to be kids anymore. They aren't allowed to have time to just play, to use their imaginations.

Have you ever noticed how rare it is to have a teen or young adult who is grown up enough to take on adult responsibility? Ready to hold down a job, pay bills, get married, raise a family...

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I look at my kids & can clearly see that they are not as "grown up" as other kids their age. Other kids their ages (10, 7 & 5) are concerned about their looks, clothes & those of the opposite sex. I see it in my 10 yr old's peers especially. I see how they look down on my daughter because she doesn't have "Style" & doesn't really care about wearing heels & makeup. Part of that is her personality, but part of that is because she doesn't have all the peer pressure to "grow up". She still likes playing with toys.

But on the other hand, I can see where my daughter is more mature than her peers. She thinks about the feelings of others. She doesn't backtalk her parents or other adults. She talks to others respectfully. Now, she isn't perfect. She still interrupts adults while they are talking. She still fights with her siblings. I can see that I have lots of work to do to prepare her to be an adult! But we are working towards that.

My point is this. As we are raising our kids, what is our goal? Is it to have teens that are popular? Is it to have teens that fit in with their peers? Is it to have teens that "have fun"? Is it to get them out of the house & out of our hair? Or is it to train them up to be responsible adults? My goal is to raise young adults who know how to negotiate the world and accomplish any goal they have in life. I want them to look at the future knowing God made them for a purpose & that He will help them achieve that purpose. If along the way they are popular, then great. If they aren't, then great. The teen years are just a small part of life & I want my kids to be ready for what lies beyond childhood & the teen years.