Xinmin Primary -- Nicole Rae Oh #SpeakUp2026

Good morning everyone. My name is Nicole and I'm from Sin Mim Primary School. Before preparing this speech, I asked 10 adults one simple question. Which season of life do you miss the most? Seven of them gave me the same answer. Childhood. That surprised me. So I asked, why? Many of them gave me the same reply. We didn't realize how precious childhood was until it was over. Isn't it interesting? When we're children, we can't wait to grow up. But when we're adults, we just wish that we could go back and enjoy childhood just one more time. So if that's true, does it mean that today's children are growing up too fast to miss the one season that adults love? Imagine this. A 10-year-old is worrying about getting enough likes. An 11-year-old is comparing themselves to people that they have never even met. this makes me wonder are we growing up too fast in the digital age i believe that the answer is yes not because children are growing older faster but because many are facing pressures that they are not emotionally ready for growing up is about being emotionally mentally and socially ready for each stage of life childhood is where we learn resilience develop empathy and gain confidence and that journey takes time. But in today's digital world, for many children, that journey is being overshadowed by constant comparison and endless scrolling. Now don't get me wrong, technology is not the problem. It helps us learn, create, and connect with people around the world. The problem is not technology. The problem is forgetting that we have a choice. We can choose family over feats. We can choose play over pressure. So before I end, may I ask our respected judges one question? Would you trade laughing around the dining table or playing with your cousins for today's digital childhood? As for me, my answer is no. Because growing up is not a race. Technology should help us grow, not make us grow up too fast. Thank you.