Children should be able to tie their shoelaces at 8, ride a bike at 7 and be trusted with a key to the front door by 14.

According to a survey of 2000 parents, pocket money should start at 9, sleepovers are allowed at ten and kids are considered old enough to have a phone and walk to school alone at the age of 12.

15 is the age most parents are happy for their child to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, but they have to be over 16 before they can have friends over while home alone.

According to the poll, seven in ten parents believed many privileges were granted too soon these days and 56 per cent said they granted many privileges to their kids at a younger age than their own parents had.