Books
Sarah: A lot of books in bookstores nowdays are written either for adults, young children or teenagers. There aren’t enough books for eleven year olds to select. Although Harry Potter is a great series I hunger for something else in my reading, with huge problems presented on every page, with a thick plot, well thought out characters with an ending that isn’t always happy. I always enjoy a book when I can picture the events happening in my mind.
Bedtimes
Florian: Us eleven year olds go to bed at around 8:30pm on weekdays but why should we, I mean why can’t we go to bed around 9:15pm when we’re sleepier. We need more freedom when we go to bed. If we’re not sleepy and we go to bed, we either read in bed, which is good but if we don’t want to read, we’re trapped in bed, unable to do something fun until we fall asleep.
Respect
George: Why do parents never listen to what eleven year olds want to buy or play? Parents always say, “No son/daughter why don’t you read or have a nap.” Maybe us eleven year olds hate reading or going to bed. What do we do? I don’t know. I think parents should respect what eleven year olds want to buy or play.
Molly: I believe that all kids should be treated with the same amount of respect as adults receive. We may be younger and smaller but that doesn’t mean that we have to be told what to do and actually do it! We have the right to stand up for ourselves and do what we want to do, its not fair, we’re human as well and we should also be allowed to have a say!
Young Adults
Riley: I think that eleven year olds should be treated like adults in conversations because we always get left out of a discussion because adults say “you don’t need to know” or “you wouldn’t understand”, but I hate it when everyone else knows something that I don’t.
Meg: If you’re a girl at eleven years of age you’d know all the others think we’re the same … yes we are all the same but we’re not. We should all be allowed to be ourselves without being teased. We’re eleven year olds and some adults think they’re more important than we are. We’re not as mature and smart as adults but sometimes we feel like we are.
Wareif: Why do some adults treat some eleven year olds like they aren’t mature enough to do things by themselves? I think adults should just listen to what eleven year olds have to say, eleven year olds aren’t as young as adults say.
Independence
Tristan: I think that eleven year olds are misjudged in the fact that they need more independence. They need to be able to do more of what they want to do, rather than getting dragged around shopping centers. If this matter were to be dealt with, a typical eleven year old lifestyle would be much better.
Lines
Katie: I think as a child we shouldn’t be pushed out of the line, just because we are smaller and younger. I personally think that adults can’t just push in. I know it may be an accident, but when you are in line look out for children.
Iain: Eleven year old kids get shoved, pushed and don’t get noticed in lines that would be minutes of waiting and when you get shoved out it doesn’t make life any better and I think eleven year olds should at least get some respect.
Tim: Can adults really not remember what it’s like to be a child? Do they think that children don’t care if adults push in front of us in a line or ignore our opinions just because we’re young? Is this fair to eleven year olds?
Matt J: An eleven year old should have the same respect as an adult has. He or she has been in the line as long as the adults have been in it. They should not be pushed or bumped out of it. Just because we’re smaller doesn’t mean they should be pushed out of the line.
Adam: Eleven year olds are not babys. Eleven year olds are always getting pushed or bumped out of the line. I think eleven year olds should have the same rights as an adult.
Attitude
Evie: I think most people are and shoud be a glass half full kind of person. I know I am. Well, most of the time. But there are things that can make eleven year olds like me become a glass half empty person. Things like mean people and teachers, problems at home and at school, not being listened to and being pushed around. I hope what I have written will give you a better understanding of eleven year olds.
Charlotte: We’re eleven. Not that old, not that young, no emotional, physical, mental problems, we don’t complain, we’re nothing special and that’s how we feel.
Expectations
Emily: I’m eleven and not that old, just like any kid I go to school and come back home. I’m not extraordinary but yet adults expect a lot from me, but I can’t do everything that they want, I’m just a kid.
Clothes
Miica: Why always girly? I find that if you’re a girl and are around eleven years of age, that the only clothes they sell at the shops are either pink or really girly, and I’m not into pink and girly kinds of clothes so I have to buy boys clothes and that’s fine, but they don’t always have what I’m looking for.
Shopping
Ben: As an eleven year old I hate getting pulled around by parents to places that I don’t want to go to. I think eleven year olds should have some say if we want to go to the shops or some other place, to staying home and playing with our pets.
Millie: As an eleven year old I really don’t like it when you find something that you really like at a shop but it has been wrecked.
Rights
Matt L: I think eleven year olds should have as much right as adults. When I watch TV my Mum and sister hog it and they watch all their shows and they don’t let me watch anything.
Daniel: I don’t see any good, conclusive reason adults can behave towards us eleven year olds as if we have brain damage. I find it very offensive when our everyday rights as eleven year olds are misjudged. We’re just like everyone else.
Anna: I believe that eleven year olds should have the rights to say no to something that they don’t want to do. For example, it’s early in the morning and your Dad asks you to go up to the shops to buy a newspaper. You try to say no, but all they do is ask again and again, until it comes to the point where they’re forcing you to go. How are you supposed to say no?
Choices
Ida: I personally think that us eleven year olds are old enough to make our own choices and not be told what to wear, do and read every day.
Liam: Us eleven year olds don’t like to be woken up in the morning. We should be able to sleep in instead of waking up early in the morning to go to school. Sometimes I get woken up by Mum or Dad and I hate that.
Sally: I think that some adults say things to you that can get a bit annoying. When they say it over and over again. But you know what they have said, but they keep nagging you to do it!
Harry: I think that being dragged around on chores when you don’t want to is unfair, boring and there are many better things to do. For example, playing in the park or of course watching tv.