Why are kids in a rush to grow up?

Well, I'm not American so this might have something to do with it. I grew up in Europe but I have lived here for 10 years. When I was a child, and a teenager, we didn't wear makeup. We didn't date. We played with toys and dolls and we played outside. Kids 6 years old and 16 years old would still play together There was no drinking age and kids didn't drink regardless. Kids ages 16 and 17 still believed in Santa Claus (the story's a little different in my country) And people didn't rush college, dating, and marriage onto them. Kids also looked much younger. What happened? Personally, life should be slower paced. Think about it. You spend the least amount of time in your childhood. You will be an adult your whole life. Why rush the best and most carefree years (hopefully they are carefree; at least compared to the worries an adult has).Also, kids here don't seem to have respect for authority and their elders and parents. I just wonder why things have to be this way.