[fightinJAG]

I really have a hard time when my sister lets my 13-year-old niece hang on her while we are talking and even interject herself into our conversations, which often, by necessity, must be about very adult things, such as arrangements for putting a relative into a nursing home.

I'm not advocating "children should be seen and not heard," but I think children should be taught that they are not yet adults. It is not a positive thing for them to get the impression that they are adults when they are not.

[winodog]

I struggle with that one. I hate to tell him to go play everytime we have company but we are talking about adult things and a lot of it is gossip and stuff about work that he does not need to be concerned with so I often tell him to go play.
Once in awhile I let him set in but I dont think it is good for him. It cause him to worry about things a 10 year old should have no idea exists. His world should be all about play, getting by in school and learning to get along with others, not participating in conversations with adults