No to clubs for kids

It is normal for adults to go to a nightclub and have fun but is it appropriate for a six-year-old to dance or listen to pop music in such a place?

Recently one of New York's hottest nightclubs opened its doors to children aged 6-12 on a Sunday afternoon. It provided music and a dance floor for the youngsters while the parents drank cocktails.

I don't agree that a child can develop a creative mind by going to such a club. The children attending these events can easily learn bad behaviour from adults. Loud, electronic music may also affect their hearing.

I think this is a kind of grooming. It is a way of preparing the next generation of club-goers and making sure nightclubs stay popular.

Bella Chow, Fanling Rhenish Church Secondary School

From the Editor

Thank you for your letter, Bella. I understand that it might seem a little strange to have young children in a nightclub. Lots of people worry when children do something new that is different or unusual.

For example, people said that children using smartphones was wrong. They said they weren't suitable for children, and they could find information on the internet that wasn't appropriate for them.

But now, lots of children use smartphones and other hi-tech devices, and we can see that they are able to do great things because of what they have learned. Even very young children are now able to understand coding which some adults still find difficult.

Changes often seem a little strange at first. But giving children space to dance is not a new idea. Parents often take their children to classes where they can dance together, even as they are just learning to walk. Maybe if we give events like this one a chance, we can boost creativity in children and see what they can do.

Lucy Christie, sub-editor