Tots have changed teeny bit
CHILD OF OUR TIME BBC1, 9pm
CAMERAS have been filming the lives of 25 babies from across the UK – and now they have reached sweet 16.
They are free to get married, have kids, live by themselves and pay taxes. Although the very idea is horrifying to most of them. “It freaks me out, I’m not ready to be an adult yet!” exclaims one of the teenagers in this fascinating two-parter.
Prof Robert Winston says: “This is a quest to find out what makes us who we are. Nature or nurture.”
He is joined by Prof Tanya Byron as they investigate how the teens’ brains have changed, altering their personalities over the years.
Science helps to explain some of the more baffling aspects of teendom – being wired to be more creative, feel more intense pleasure and feel more self-conscious.
“It’s a perfect storm,” says Tanya. “Society, physical changes, hormonal changes and brain changes.”
Teenager Taliesin says: “It’s almost like I’ve transformed into an entirely different person.” While Eve points out: “Well I’ve got taller since last time you filmed, and I’ve grown some boobs.”
In this episode, we meet thrillseeker Matt who was the shyest kid of the group, refusing to let go of his dad’s hand. Now he is a party animal who loves jumping out of planes. Can an MRI scan explain why? Meanwhile, Eve opens up about her life-changing revelation that she is gay. She says: “When people talked about having crushes on boys I didn’t know what they meant. Then I read an article and saw the term lesbian for the first time.”
And elsewhere, Jamie, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child, explains how falling into a diabetic coma after a drunken night out made him re-evaluate his life.