We hear much talk that today it is more difficult than in the past to be young-whether as a kindergartner or as a college student. It is also more difficult to be older, because the task of guiding young people to conduct a still unknown future is an awesome charge. Theoretically, a person living in the age of Charlemagne could grow up believing that the life his own children would someday lead would be the same as his own, with little change. It is doubtful that anyone would think so today. This article asks readers what they can do in their day-to-day interactions with children to prepare children for life in the 21st Century. It follows with remarks from the viewpoint from one who deals mostly with people at the other end; that is, people as adults. Author, Chester Pierce, speculates about what the future might bring. [Excerpts from this article are reprinted from "Childhood Education" v49 n2 1972 in celebration of "Childhood Education's" 125 year anniversary. To view the original article in ERIC, see EJ064558. The original article, is adapted from the Keynote address to the Association for Childhood Education International Annual Study Conference held at Denver, Colorado in April, 1972.]