5 reasons why being 12 years old sucks
In Pan, 12-year-old Peter Pan (Levi Miller) is whisked away from a bleak London orphanage to Neverland, where together with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and new friend James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), he fights the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman). Pan stays forever young, on the cusp of teenage-hood for eternity. Sure, it’s fun, if you’re living in the adventurous and fantastical world that is Neverland, but in Singapore? Besides having to take the PSLE, here are five other reasons why being 12 years old sucks:
1. Not being able to drink alcohol
Tiger beer. (Credit: www.heinekenasiapacific.com)
The legal drinking age in Singapore is 18 so say goodbye to yummy cocktails, relaxing beers and fun parties – which almost always involve alcohol.
2. Not being able to work
Raffles Place working crowd. (Credit: en.wikipedia.org)
Under MOM laws, a child must be at least 13 years old to be legally employed. While not working might sound great for jaded overworked adults, it’s really not so fun in a practical sense. No work = no money. This means no money for games and junk food. Can’t wait to turn 13 now, huh?
3. Not watching R21 shows
MDA ratings. (Credit: Screenshot from www.medialiteracycouncil.sg)
If you don’t already know, movies classified R21 can be watched by viewers aged 21 and above. As if that’s not bad enough, there’s actually a whole slew of other age restrictions, such as NC16 (no children below 16 years old) and M18 (for those aged 18 and above).
4. Not being able to own property
HDB flats. (Credit: sbr.com.sg)
Living with your parents your whole life isn’t fun and games, and if you’re like the majority of Singaporeans who buy a HDB apartment, you have to be at least 35 if you’re single. You can buy a flat earlier if you’re married but the legal age of marriage is 21 (you can be married from 18 years old if your parents give consent). And of course, if you don’t (or can’t) work in the first place, you won’t have money to buy the home you want – see point 2.
5. No freedom to party all night
Partying the night away at ZoukOut. (Credit: zoukout.com)
We hate to be stereotypical, but what do mothers do when we stay up late? Nag, nag, nag. Honestly, we’d rather sleep than hear the nagging – and this, if you haven’t noticed, is Mummy’s original goal. As they say, Mum (a grown-up) always knows best.
Pan poster. (Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment)
The good news? We all grow up – eventually. So, live vicariously through Peter in Pan, where the adventures never stop, the fun doesn’t fade and… no kid grows old.
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