How should children spend their time? Education has always played an essential role in people's lives as in most cases it determines the intellectual and professional development of a person One of the chief questions today is whether children should be encouraged to begin their formal education at an early age or rather wait until they are seven or eight years old to start school Comparing both of the alternatives, I agree with the former assumption Some people believe that as childhood is one of the most important stages in one's life it should be fully enjoyed They point out to the fact that the pressure of today's world is too great to impose it to children when they are that young Indeed, playing with friends is a thing that every child needs in order to grow up healthy and sociable Games provide a great chance for children to explore the world around them and learn how to deal with difficult situations Most of the time, when a child plays he/she talks and interacts with his/her peers, which is very helpful for building communicational skills However, we live today at a time when the world is constantly changing and people are required to keep in pace with new standards In the Information Age it is getting more and more difficult even for people who are well educated to withstand the great competition Parents are now sending their children to school at a very early age in order to prepare them for the challenges of the present Nowadays it is no longer enough to study hard to succeed It also requires that one start as early as possible Even though children's starting their formal education early may be considered a sacrifice? f the carefree years of childhood, I think that if parents want to provide their children with a good start in life this choice is worth it