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drinks at the age of 12, though not in the same covert way as they would in the UK. In France, those children drink in the safety of their own homes, as part of normal family life, and by being accepted as little individuals, by parents caring enough to control the amount of alcohol that they drink, there is a pattern of different behavior when they grow older, where drink isn't something to abuse, but merely something that is part of every day life.

On the film scene, where age restrictions occur, are we being realistic about what to protect our children from ? Most of the child restricted films will appear in their homes anyway at some stage, and I believe that it is healthier to let children watch what is reasonable for them as individuals, rather than having one age limit, which actually assumes unsuitability for all children under a set age. The Internet is available in most homes, and kids can see loads of unsuitable things, though the restrictions are more a case of common sense than legislation and parents can to a certain extent set the level appropriate to the child without having the burden of legislation to work by, and knowing what the child they brought up is capable of absorbing without danger.

While the civil rights of children are there to protect them, are they not also there to protect us, as parents, and are we not hiding behind them, instead of realizing that children need a certain amount of responsibility for their own wellbeing in order to develop as unique and whole people whose rights don't just come in a civil form, but are owed to them by us, as grown ups?

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
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