Childhood is a contested notion. Recent debates present us with a plethora of questions and concerns about how children fare in affluent socities. Are they loosing their innocence too early' Are they propelled too quickly into the role of the customer' How can we protect them from a predatorial corporate world' Are we too protective' Too risk adverse in how we bring them up' In the midst of affluence and consumerism, are children over-indulged' Are they idolised' Such questions have elicited a rnage of responses from writers in this collection- theologians, researcher, teacher, principals and pyschologists.