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Child of Our Time

All Episodes 2000 - 2020

  • Ended
  • #<Network:0x00007f0b6db880d8>
  • 2000-01-10T20:00:00Z
  • 1h
  • 1d 8h (32 episodes)
  • United Kingdom
  • English
  • Documentary
Child of Our Time is a documentary commissioned by the BBC co-produced with The Open University and presented by Professor Robert Winston which follows up on the lives of 25 babies who were born around the turn of the third millennium as they grow from infancy, through childhood and on to becoming young adults. The aim of the series is to build up a coherent and scientifically accurate picture of how the genes and the environments of growing children interact to make a fully formed adult. The series will follow the people each year from birth to the age of 20. It sets out to answer many unanswered questions, and a large portion of Child of Our Time is made up of experiments on the 25 people to answer some of these questions. One of the most important questions that the series is seeking to answer is "Are we born or are we made?"

43 episodes

How does your personality shape your life? Can it dictate whether you are in the right job, make or break your relationship, influence your health and even how long you'll live? In this two part special to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Child of our Time, the children and their families explore their personalities, while presenters Robert Winston and Sophie Raworth reveal the results of the BBC's online Big Personality Test, the biggest ever investigation into the personality of the nation. In this first programme, we catch up on some of the Child of our Time Children, and find out their combination of personality traits. Has James Cachia's chaotic life contributed to him being a fun loving extrovert, and why does Charlotte Langeveld score so high on agreeableness? What does it mean to be high in openness and neuroticism, and can you be too conscientious? For a free Open University booklet Personality and Your Life call 0845 366 8019 or log onto www.bbc.co.uk/childofourtime

How does your personality shape your life? Can it dictate whether you are in the right job, make or break your relationship, influence your health and even how long you'll live? In this two part special to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Child of our Time, the children and their families explore their personalities, while presenters Robert Winston and Sophie Raworth reveal the results of the BBC's online Big Personality Test, the biggest ever investigation into the personality of the nation. In this second programme, we find out how understanding your personality can help you make important decisions in life and boost your chance of happiness. We visit a top city law firm and discover the link between personality and earnings, and go to a publisher of glossy magazines to find out how your personality can determine what kind of career you end up in. And we catch up on more of the Child of our Time Children - how are their personality traits influencing their lives? For a free Open University booklet Personality and Your Life call 0845 366 8019 or log onto www.bbc.co.uk/childofourtime

Series Premiere

2000-01-10T20:00:00Z

1x01 Babies: The Journey Begins (1)

Series Premiere

1x01 Babies: The Journey Begins (1)

  • 2000-01-10T20:00:00Z1h

In the premiere episode, Professor Robert Winston introduces this groundbreaking 20 year long project, which will follow 25 children over 20 years of their lives. He starts with the question, 'Are we born or are we made?' - the age-old question of whether we are predefined by our genes, or are shaped by our parents and environments.We meet the newborn babies and their parents.

2000-01-10T20:00:00Z

1x02 Babies: Birth Days (2)

1x02 Babies: Birth Days (2)

  • 2000-01-10T20:00:00Z1h

In the premiere episode, Professor Robert Winston introduces this groundbreaking 20 year long project, which will follow 25 children over 20 years of their lives. He starts with the question, 'Are we born or are we made?' - the age-old question of whether we are predefined by our genes, or are shaped by our parents and environments. We meet the newborn babies and their parents.

Season Premiere

2001-01-03T20:00:00Z

2x01 The Personality Test

Season Premiere

2x01 The Personality Test

  • 2001-01-03T20:00:00Z1h

This episode looks back on the first year of development of the children. It explores the effect of trauma on the child - including one of the most traumatic experiences of all, simply being born - and how our personalities are already being defined in our first year. It seems that we end up being quite a bit like our parents. It also looks at happiness - children who are more secure about the love they receive from their parents, are more happy.

2001-01-10T20:00:00Z

2x02 Tomboy or Sissy?

2x02 Tomboy or Sissy?

  • 2001-01-10T20:00:00Z1h

This episode explores the issue of gender. Already in the first year, babies start to behave in gender-stereotyped ways, but is this because they are born that way, or because of the way they are treated by their parents and others around them?

2001-01-17T20:00:00Z

2x03 Brain Magic

2x03 Brain Magic

  • 2001-01-17T20:00:00Z1h

The topic of this episode is intelligence. Is it possible for parents to increase or decrease their child's intelligence, or is intelligence simply fixed in our genes? The baby's brain increases by 3 times in the first year, so factors such as nutrition, whether a baby is premature or not, and environmental stimulation are critical.

Season Premiere

2002-08-03T19:00:00Z

3x01 Thanks for the Memories

Season Premiere

3x01 Thanks for the Memories

  • 2002-08-03T19:00:00Z1h

The children are now in their terrible twos. This episode is focused on memory, and how much we remember from our childhood. It turns out that we do remember more than we realize of our experiences even at this very young age. Trauma such as witnessing the breakup of ones parents, or being unwanted, can have long-lasting effects on a child.

2002-08-10T19:00:00Z

3x02 Power Struggles

3x02 Power Struggles

  • 2002-08-10T19:00:00Z1h

In this episode, Professor Winston looks at the battle for independence. It is very important for children to develop their independence, and they start on this path by standing up to their parents. Some of the first words uttered by a child are usually those that help it to communicate their needs; some children manipulate their parents through temper tantrums. It's important for the parent to be firm with their children, but it's not easy.

2002-08-17T19:00:00Z

3x03 Active or Idle

3x03 Active or Idle

  • 2002-08-17T19:00:00Z1h

What makes a child a potential star athlete, or a lifetime couch potato? Most of not all 2 year olds seem to have perpetual motion engines, but already at this stage, there are active children who can't stop moving, and those who are much slower moving. A father is usually responsible for the active times in a child's day, so can the absence of a father make a child less active? Can environment hinder, or help, a toddler's growth and development?

Season Premiere

2004-01-06T20:00:00Z

4x01 Zero to Hero

Season Premiere

4x01 Zero to Hero

  • 2004-01-06T20:00:00Z1h

The children are now 3 years old. Winston finds out if popular adults are marked out at this early stage in life and if life's loners are already apparent.

2004-01-13T20:00:00Z

4x02 Read My Lips

4x02 Read My Lips

  • 2004-01-13T20:00:00Z1h

Communication is at the heart of being human and learning to communicate effectively takes a lifetime to perfect. In this episode, Professor Robert Winston explores how we develop the art of speech and body language to make ourselves understood and to understand others.

2004-01-20T20:00:00Z

4x03 The Making of Me

4x03 The Making of Me

  • 2004-01-20T20:00:00Z1h

Self-esteem is a key element of happiness and success and makes us feel good about ourselves. During our lifetimes, self-esteem can fluctuate, because it is not something we are born with, it is something we acquire.

Season Premiere

2005-01-04T20:00:00Z

5x01 Identity Crisis

Season Premiere

5x01 Identity Crisis

  • 2005-01-04T20:00:00Z1h

James Cachia lives in an impoverished area of South-East London. As his mother tries to protect the family from a threatening ex-boyfriend, nursery provides a valuable refuge. But is the turmoil at home affecting his chances? William Roberts, on the other hand, has all the advantages money can buy. But that doesn't mean that life is easy at the moment, William is locked in a battle of wills with his mother. Could a cross-dressing gender experiment provide the key to William's need to assert his masculine identity?

2005-01-11T20:00:00Z

5x02 State of Play

5x02 State of Play

  • 2005-01-11T20:00:00Z1h

2007-04-18T19:00:00Z

5x03 What are Dads for?

5x03 What are Dads for?

  • 2007-04-18T19:00:00Z1h

2007-04-25T19:00:00Z

5x04 Tried and Tested

5x04 Tried and Tested

  • 2007-04-25T19:00:00Z1h

As the children turn five, the programme follows their first term at school.

Season Premiere

2006-01-15T20:00:00Z

6x01 Happiness

Season Premiere

6x01 Happiness

  • 2006-01-15T20:00:00Z1h

Robert Winston returns for a new series, beginning by assessing the youngsters' ability to be happy. He discovers which areas of the brain develop self-confidence and contentment - and finds illuminating patterns when comparing the children's results with their parents'. Further tests identify the optimists and pessimists within the group, as well as revealing how resilient they are.

2006-01-22T20:00:00Z

6x02 Flesh and Blood

6x02 Flesh and Blood

  • 2006-01-22T20:00:00Z1h

Professor Robert Winston examines how children's development is affected by the bonds with their siblings, a relationship thought to be even more important than that between parent and offspring. He asks why some brothers and sisters get on well and others loathe one another, and tests the youngsters' temperaments to learn how they respond to differential treatment.

2006-01-29T20:00:00Z

6x03 Right and Wrong

6x03 Right and Wrong

  • 2006-01-29T20:00:00Z1h

Professor Robert Winston finds out how the six-year-olds are distinguishing between right and wrong, discovering the ways in which upbringing affects values in later life. He learns which circumstances cause children to lie, and uses a specially designed game of `moral Mastermind' to assess whether the youngsters are more ethical than their parents

2006-02-05T20:00:00Z

6x04 Your Recipe for Success

6x04 Your Recipe for Success

  • 2006-02-05T20:00:00Z1h

Professor Robert Winston presents an interactive show in which the children's ability to pick up new skills is tested through a series of elaborate games and puzzles. He also meets people who use all their senses to learn, including a former world memory champion and a man with synaesthesia.

Season Premiere

2007-08-19T19:00:00Z

7x01 The Will to Win

Season Premiere

7x01 The Will to Win

  • 2007-08-19T19:00:00Z1h

Robert Winston returns as the five families continue to try and give their children the best possible start in life as is achievable.

7x02 Fitting In or Standing Out

  • 2007-08-26T19:00:00Z1h

With the children now aged seven they learn how to fit in with different groups of other children.

2007-09-02T19:00:00Z

7x03 Killing Creativity

7x03 Killing Creativity

  • 2007-09-02T19:00:00Z1h

Robert takes a look at the current forces that work against children having natural creativity.

Season Premiere

2008-05-07T19:00:00Z

8x01 The Divide of the Sexes

Season Premiere

8x01 The Divide of the Sexes

  • 2008-05-07T19:00:00Z1h

The children are now eight years old and they are trying to make sense of their gender roles.

2008-05-14T19:00:00Z

8x02 The Age of Stress

8x02 The Age of Stress

  • 2008-05-14T19:00:00Z1h

The show takes a look at if too much stress in childhood leads to an uncertain life ahead.

2008-05-21T19:00:00Z

8x03 24 Hours

8x03 24 Hours

  • 2008-05-21T19:00:00Z1h

All the children are filmed constantly for 48 hours so that their every movement can be monitored.

Season Premiere

2010-05-30T19:00:00Z

9x01 The Big Personality Test (Part 1)

Season Premiere

9x01 The Big Personality Test (Part 1)

  • 2010-05-30T19:00:00Z1h

The Child of Our Time children and their families explore their personalities.

The programme visits a top law firm to discover the link between personality and earnings.

Season Premiere

2013-02-27T20:00:00Z

10x01 Growing Up

Season Premiere

10x01 Growing Up

  • 2013-02-27T20:00:00Z1h

The children reveal how they have coped with the transition to secondary school.

2013-02-28T20:00:00Z

10x02 Changing Families

10x02 Changing Families

  • 2013-02-28T20:00:00Z1h

Robert Winston looks at how the children have coped with changes in their families.

Season Premiere

2017-04-03T19:00:00Z

11x01 Changing Minds

Season Premiere

11x01 Changing Minds

  • 2017-04-03T19:00:00Z1h

In 2000 the BBC embarked on a groundbreaking project to follow the lives of 25 babies from across the UK. At 16, these children of our time are almost fully grown. They are now free to live by themselves, get married, pay taxes and even have children of their own. In this episode Professor Robert Winston and Professor Tanya Byron discover how our teenagers’ changing brains means that what they choose to do at 16, can shape their lives forever. Tanya invites fun-loving Matt to take part in a MRI scan to investigate what might be at the root of his new-found thrill-seeking. Megan enjoys her newfound independence, and we meet Charlie in the throes of first love. Eve shares a life-changing revelation, and Jamie explains the shocking events that caused him to re-evaluate his priorities. Megan’s high-spirited birthday party reveals the influence of peer groups, while Rhianna’s close friendships show the importance of teenage tribes. In Scotland, twins Alex and Ivo’s busy brains shed light on the critical biological changes happening to all our teens. With surprising new research in human biology and neuroscience, we reveal how the most baffling aspects of teenage life can be explained and illuminated by the latest understanding of the changing teenage brain. The brains of our 16 year-olds are wired to feel more self-conscious, to be more mentally creative, and to feel more intense pleasure, than at any other time in their lives. Through intimate stories, compelling archive and experiments Child Of Our Time brings you the inside story of today’s 16 year-olds. Child Of Our Time was produced in partnership with The Open University.

2017-04-04T19:00:00Z

11x02 Changing Times

11x02 Changing Times

  • 2017-04-04T19:00:00Z1h

In this episode Professor Robert Winston and Professor Tanya Byron follow our teens through their GCSE year to discover how our teenagers are being shaped by these unique times. In Scotland, Nathan shares how it feels growing up in an unconventional family - attitudes to his father’s homosexuality have transformed in his lifetime. More open, available communication is having a huge impact on the lives of all of today’s teenagers. In a bold experiment Child Of Our Time teens gave us access to their digital lives – giving a 24/7 window into their phone use. The triplets Alice, Mabel and Phoebe were some of our highest social media users, with messages from friends every two minutes. Tanya explores what impact this sociable multi-tasking has on concentration, social skills and risk taking in the real world. In Essex, Taliesin reveals what impact his online gaming habit is having on his friendships and his sleep, while Rebecca shows us why friends are so critical during testing times. As the exams approach, Het is finding her own strategies to manage exam stress and Ivo is already planning his future – many miles away from his identical twin Alex. As our teens reach this landmark age we explore how they cope with the challenges of life, to build their dreams for the future. Through intimate stories, compelling archive and experiments Child Of Our Time brings you the inside story of today’s 16 year olds.

Season Premiere

2020-03-11T20:00:00Z

12x01 Turning 20

Season Premiere

12x01 Turning 20

  • 2020-03-11T20:00:00Z1h

In 1999, the groundbreaking BBC series Child Of Our Time began filming a group of babies, from the moment they were born, to explore what would shape their lives in the new millennium. Twenty years on, these children are fully grown and can reflect, in their own words, on growing up during a time of extraordinary social change. Drawing on thousands of hours of archive footage, this Horizon special will focus on three of the children, exploring their childhood as the first generation of 21st century Britain. Eve, Jamie and Rhianna share their feelings on starting school, finding friends and their turbulent teenage years. Alongside the fun of childhood, all have faced challenges. They can now reflect on how rebellion, family tension, and bereavement have played a part in making them the adults they are today. Throughout this special, a number of other children from Child Of Our Time share their own reflections and experiences on some of the issues that have touched their generation, including mental health, sexual identity and the pressure to achieve.

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