1|Page

➢ TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cerificate of Completion …………………………….………...1

2. Action Plan ………………………………..…..……………….3

3. When Does Childhood End ………..…………..…..………...4-6

4. Report …………………………………………………..…..7-12

5. Reflections……………………..…………………………..13-14

6. Positive Learning Experience ..……………….……………..,15

7. Biblography …………………………………….…………….16

2|Page
 ACTION PLAN
The project is on the topic," When does childhood
end." It is done as a pair work in which an
interview is seen and analysed. The members of
the project are Naeema and Zeba. Each member
prepares reports on the topic and content of the
interview, one agreeing with it and the other
countering it. The interview and reports highlight
a common confusion many have: 'When do I
become an adult?' The interview is with a famous
anthropologist and author who expresses her
views on this topic. This project highlights the
qualities you must have to become an adult,
clarifying the true meaning of adulthood. This
project is connected to the poem 'Childhood' by
Marcus Natten. It goes deeper into the poet's
thoughts on when and where his childhood went.

3|Page
 WHEN DOES CHILDHOOD
END

As we humans are evolving, we

begin to question when childhood
ends. The interview features Dr.
Brenna Hassett, an anthropologist
who studies the evolution of human
lives. According to Dr. Brenna,
adulthood can broadly be defined as
the switch between us being a net
sink for resources from our society
and (living a grown-up life) and
contributing to society. In her book
Growing Up Human, she mentions
how our uniquely long childhoods
set us apart from other living beings.
In addition to that, she talks about
how we have diverged from our
ancestral roots to stay young
forever.

4|Page
From a young age, we consider our parents as
Grown-ups, and when we finally mature, we often
fail to realize that we are now transitioning into
grown-ups. Habitually, the duration of our
childhood depends on the society we live in. E.g.,
in countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, it
is considered a norm to get married by the early
20s. In more developed countries like USA and
Canada, it is not a surprise even if we are single at
40. For another instance, the time spent in school
also varies according to different counties. In
earlier generations, it was not necessary to
continue studies after the age of 16, while in the
present, people continue to pursue education well
up to the ages of 25-30. As part of evolution, the
phases in our life last longer, So the phases of our
childhood and adulthood last longer.
5|Page
 The phase of wanting to spend time as
the elderly last longer.

This increase in duration does not

necessarily mean that we are extending
our lifespans, but it implies that we, as
humans, are growing slower and slower.
Thus, we are pushing the boundary on
the period where we are still dependent
on society.

6|Page
 REPORT:

“Childhood ends when you

attain enough maturity to
take decisions for yourself”
Most people consider
adolescents the end of childhood but does a child
mature when they attain 15 or when he/she legally
makes decisions for themselves at 18? Or is it at 25
when we can rent a car? Or when we can make
decisions for ourselves be they good or bad? The
poet of the poem, childhood had several inquiries
regarding the same.
In some countries like Canada, teens at the age of 16
are allowed to drive but on the contradictory, we’re
only allowed to make a vote at 18. This gives us a
hint that we truly attain maturity when we can
make decisions for ourselves.
7|Page
It’s scientifically observed and proven by the studies
of endocrine function and brain maturation that
brain maturation stops around 25. And by the age
of 25, we are fully capable of taking decisions for
ourselves, and a fun fact we can’t rent out a car
below the age of 25.

As a child, we are always eager to grow up and

become an adult but many times we fail to
understand that adulthood is more than being able
to drive and having your own set of ‘rules’. The road
to adulthood involves the development of various
things. Individuality and Rationality are 2 of the
most important characteristics of becoming an
adult and would play a vital role in decision
making.
Individuality is being unique
from one another; It is said to
be important for personal
happiness. Our self-worth is diminished when we
8|Page
try to change who we are to meet someone's or
society’s expectations, which ultimately leads to a
decrease in self-esteem and an increase in our
insecurities. Individuality can be achieved by
setting self-development goals and pursuing our
ambitions. A young person's self-esteem,
confidence, and ultimately happiness can all be
increased by simply encouraging them to
embrace their individuality. It’s okay to be
different we’re all unique in our own ways.
Another quality we must
develop is Rationalism. It is
the quality of acting on or
under reasoning and logic.
Rationality is important since it is how we pursue
the objective of doing things correctly and making
the right decisions. Rationality depends on our
mental states, or more specifically, our decisions,
attitudes, and overall views. When you
9|Page
have a belief and choose a course of action, you
have a goal to get things right. Your decisions and
beliefs must be in line with the outside world for
that to be the case. Your beliefs and decisions,
however, cannot be directly influenced by what is
taking place outside of you. What is going on in
your thoughts is the only thing that can directly
guide them. Ultimately, rationality is the aspect of
your thinking that finally directs you—ideally (if
you're lucky) towards the objective of doing things
correctly.
The fact that you were making
reasonable decisions helps you
understand the reason behind
your success in getting things right. In other
words, rationality is crucial because it helps us
pursue the goal of carrying out actions
appropriately and coming to wise conclusions. In
10 | P a g e
appropriately and coming to wise conclusions. In
addition to that rationality shapes your identity.
Markus Natten, the poet of the poem
Childhood, questions whether he lost
his childhood and his innocence the
day he began to perceive adults as being
hypocritical and different from what they initially
appeared to be, or whether it was the day he started
to develop rationality and was starting to define his
own identity. In the poem, Markus Natten talks
about how adults are double-faced in reality. He
mentions that adults would always talk and preach
about love, but they would never act in such a
caring manner.
Adulthood ultimately means responsibility and
responsibility means maturity, no matter the age.
Most importantly the way in which responsibilities
11 | P a g e

and privileges are balanced show maturity, be it 7,

Most importantly, the way in which
responsibilities and privileges are balanced
show maturity, be it 7, 17 or 70,
In the eyes of our world, adulthood equals
autonomy. But in my opinion adulthood is a
process which some achieve early and some late
primarily due to the lessons teacher ‘life’ teaches
us. Maturity is a learned attitude.
Childhood succumbs to
adulthood finally. But we
must not let go off the child
within us. At our very heart, there is a child
waiting to be released, this is the real us.

12 | P a g e
 REFLECTIONS
The end point of childhood
differs from person to person.
It might arrive sooner for some
Individuals and later for others.
Some people reach full maturity at the age of 17,
while others do so in their 30s. Here, we're not
talking about maturing by age rather, we're
talking about the shaping of our minds, as well as
our feelings and thoughts. Growing up means
finally contributing to society and being able to
stand on your own two feet rather than being
dependent on society for whatever needs you may
have. We must build qualities like individuality,
rationalism, and many others as we grow.
By this project, I've gained a great deal of
knowledge on what it takes to be a true
grownup. It has compelled me to explore

13 | P a g e
what the path to adulthood involves.
Relating it to the poem
"Childhood" I came to
the realization that we
should cherish childhood
and make the most of it.
while we still have it, rather than being
impatient to grow up. The poet teaches us that
individualism and rationalism emerge along
with the loss of innocence.
I've come to understand that being an adult
involves much more than just having your own
set of rules and privileges.

14 | P a g e
 POSITIVE
LEARNING
EXPERIENCE

15 | P a g e
 BIBLOGRAPHY
https://youtu.be/pw9VZRvSM2o

Growing Up Human: The Evolution of Childhood by

Brenna Hassett, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®
(barnesandnoble.com)

https://www.boots.com/resource/blob/1977702/dce0
2a1f2f13b9ad6a827163d684a377/importance-of-
individuality---uniqueness-data.pdf

https://blog.oup.com/2017/12/what-value-
rationality-philosophy/

https://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Child-Within-
discover-real-
ebook/dp/B01DRCXSRY#:~:text=Awaken%20the%2
0Child%20Within%20explores,and%20enjoy%20m
ore%20from%20life

16 | P a g e
17 | P a g e