Children in 2017...a phone at 12 and Facebook at 14

CHILDREN should be able to tie their shoelaces aged eight, ride a bike at seven and be trusted to have their own front door key by 14, according to parents.

Mothers and fathers have a very clear idea of the age by which kids should have achieved – or be allowed to do – particular things, a survey of 2,000 parents found.

Pocket money should start at nine, sleepovers are allowed at 10 and children are old enough to have a Facebook account at 14.

Youngsters are also considered mature enough to walk to school alone and have their own mobile phone aged 12. Fifteen is the age most parents are happy for their child to have a girlfriend or boyfriend. But sons and daughters have to be 16 before they can have friends over while home alone.

The study also found parents let their children watch 15 certificate movies aged 14 and 18 certificate movies when they are 16.

However, according to the poll for sticker and label producer My Nametags, seven in 10 parents believed many privileges were granted too soon these days. And 56 per cent said they granted many privileges to their children at a younger age than their own parents had.

Peer pressure from other parents to allow their children to do certain things was felt by four in 10 and half said they had fallen out with a partner over the issue.

Lars Andersen, of My Nametags, said: “The survey just goes to show some of the many intricacies of being a parent. Of course, every child is different and may be able to do things or take on certain responsibilities later or earlier than our results show.”