Tolkien and Tiny But Mature Children

[Imladris]

So why did Tolkien suggest a prolonged 'childhood/adolesence' that occupied about one-third of a hobbit's life?

As has been said before, maybe Tolkien thought that children grew up too fast? Think of it this way: he grew up during two world wars or so (right?) and children would grow up fast in those kind of times. Also, he lot his dad at a young age and that would certainly have a maturing effect. Maybe he lamented the fact that children couldn't just be children, that they couldn't just play, or live life in innocense.

As a teenager, I definitely understand this fact especially in today. Children are exposed to things that were not exposed to our grandparents when they were the same age.

I think that Child of the 7th Age was right when she said:

But, ironically, you could also argue that, as the tale progresses, Bilbo loses some of the traditional trappings of an adult, and goes back to the simpler interests of his youth. He is less concerned about losing his pocket handkerchief (as he was at the beginning) or worrying about whether the Dwarves are messing up his burrow or what his neighbors might say about his long absence. He learns to enjoy travelling on the road; he again remembers his love of Elves and tales. Plus, after his return to the Shire, whom does Bilbo befriend? Young hobbits like Frodo whom he eventually adopted as a tweener, and later Samwise whom he teaches how to read. He seems to have studiously avoided friends his own age! Then again, who would want to be friends with Lobelia?

It seems to me that when children grow up into adults, a good deal of them loose their sense of "fun" and adventure. Maybe Tolkien was saddened by this (I know I am) and so wrote the Hobbits in this childish state. For a third of their lives they have fun and live life happily. Heck, even the older hobbits were childish in a way: they could eat whatever they wanted without worrying about loosing a figure, they drank ale regularly....even then they were children.

As for Gandalf helping Bilbo refind his childhood, it's plausible. Maybe after their tweens, hobbits began to grow up slowly if you see what I mean...or they just became too conscerned with worldy wealth instead of the wealth of the imagination...

But these are just my thoughts.