Season 10

2013 · 2 episodes

Episodes

1Growing UpIn this programme we follow several of our children preparing to become teenagers and see how their parents and grandparents will cope! Having followed our children from tiny babies through to pre-teen tearaways, viewers will now get to hear them articulate their feelings about life more eloquently. We discover how they have coped with bullying, with having a famous mum or with learning to live with money worries. The children's bodies and brains are changing, and their interviews are illustrated with not only their lives today but our rich archive, giving us a unique view into the past. All our families take part in both programmes but this one predominantly features Helena, the only survivor of triplets born extremely prematurely; Parys, whose mum Alison Lapper is a famous artist; forthright Yorkshire girl Rhianna; technology-loving Taliesin; Het, from Wembley in London, who has big ambitions; farm girl Megan; Matthew from Surrey, whose family are preparing for a great change in their lives; Scottish twins Alex and Ivo; and sports-mad William from Settle. The programme looks at how these children are growing up and brings the stories right up to date, as the children reach their thirteenth birthday. Exploring the last 12-18 months, we re-enter our families' lives at a time of significant change, having recently left the familiarity and safety of junior school and into the new environment of secondary school. How has each child adapted and coped with this enormous transition? We'll also witness some challenging physiological and biological changes, as they become teenagers. From mood swings and bullying, to body image issues, and fitting in.
2Changing FamiliesIn this programme we look at how some of our children - and their parents and grandparents - have coped with the changes in their family. Now, with thousands of hours of observational archive and interviews at our disposal, we're able to see how our families have changed in the thirteen years we've been filming them. Viewers will hear our children articulate their feelings about life more eloquently. We discover how they have coped with the divorce of their parents, with getting into trouble at school or even with bereavement. All our families take part in both programmes but this one predominantly features Charlotte, who is now part of a large extended family; Jamie, coping with his parents' separation and divorce; triplets Phoebe, Alice and Mabel; Nathan from Scotland, who is beginning to push boundaries with his parents; Ethan from Northern Ireland; East Anglian Calvin; Rebecca from London; Tyrese from Birmingham; Charlie, whose mum was our youngest Child of Our Time parent; and Eve, who sadly lost her mum to cancer in 2008. We'll also find out from the parents what their expectations might be for their kids as well as explore the future of the family as a whole. How predictive has our 12-year study been - have we identified the key moments that made them who they are today - and how insightful will this archive be in terms of where the children want to go next? The programme gives a fascinating insight into the next generation; as they make the transition from children into young adults.