Letter: I'm no tween

Sir: I am writing to say that the article on children becoming teenagers at the age of 10 (report, 31 December) is completely out of order. I am a 12-year-old girl and I don't like to be talked about as someone who follows the crowd and is not capable of thinking for herself.

To me it doesn't seem that you have done nearly enough research about the lives of typical 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds. For example, in my opinion no one of my age would ever even think about Richard Branson. Also, Leonardo DiCaprio is good looking but I wouldn't make a fuss about him just because some of my friends do.

I follow fashion but I wouldn't wear anything I didn't like myself. I wear fashionable clothes only if and when I like them. So it doesn't sound as if I'm under peer pressure, does it?

I like EastEnders and so do many of my friends, but it doesn't mean that I sit down every Sunday lunchtime with a tray on my knee to watch it. In fact, I always sit down to eat my meal with my family, unless I am going out.

So what if I have access to a computer? It does not mean I am using it the whole time, because my mum works on it and, in any case, I have other things to do.

I also do not like the way you categorise 10-, 11-, and 12-year-olds as something called "tweens". We do not want to be known as something other than our names, because we are all individual people. You seem to be saying that we should be seen as a separate group, different from everyone else.

Perhaps next time you wish to write about my age group, you could consult us first to get your facts straight.

LUCY BAINBRIDGE

Epsom, Surrey