EXTREME KIDS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE...
"HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG," ON "20/20," FRIDAY, JUNE 4
How young is too young... Should parents just say no to kids who want to do something so extreme and dangerous as climbing Mt. Everest, bullfighting or sailing solo around the world? Is a seven-year-old too young to hate? Is a 10-year-old plagued with psychiatric disorders too young to use medical marijuana? "20/20" correspondents report on extreme kids and the parents who allow and even encourage them to achieve their goals or do unconventional things at such an early age, FRIDAY, JUNE 4 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Climbing Mt. Everest: Just last week, 13-year-old Jordan Romero of California became the youngest person ever to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. That adds the sixth mountain to his goal of climbing the world's tallest peaks on each of the seven continents. But is the fury and danger of Mt. Everest any place for a teen? Elizabeth Vargas talks to Jordan and his father, Paul, about the treacherous climb, which drew criticism from climbing experts and parents alike.
Hatred: Bo Drain is just seven years old, but already he knows one thing for sure: all Americans who don't belong to his church are going to hell because our country tolerates homosexuality, abortion and divorce. His family is part of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church also known for picketing soldiers' funerals. Members of the church bring their kids along as they go on dangerous demonstrations, picketing daily in Topeka, Kansas and across America, teaching them the message of intolerance from the earliest age. Is this too young to hate? Chris Cuomo reports.
Sailing Around the World: In an age where kids spend an average of seven hours in front of their TV's and computers every day, a new generation of adventurous kids is instead heading out onto the open ocean to chase the title as "the youngest" to solo circumnavigate the globe in a sailboat. Chris Connelly profiles a group of teens breaking the barriers of age and braving the harsh realities of open ocean to land in the record books: a 16-year-old Australian girl who completes her voyage to a hero's welcome, a 16-year-old American girl who is in the midst of her voyage, and a 14-year-old Dutch girl who plans to depart this summer.
Medical Marijuana and Kids: There are several well-documented beneficial effects of using marijuana for medicinal purposes. Now, some parents are turning to medical marijuana for another reason -- as a way to help their children who are plagued with disorders ranging from autism and OCD to even ADHD. This new course of treatment has ignited a debate over how young is too young to give your child marijuana. Chris Connelly reports.
Bullfighting: How young is too young for a child to face the extreme dangers of fighting in a bull ring? Jim Avila traveled to Zacatecas, Mexico to meet Rifita Mirabel, now a 14-year-old matador who has been fighting bulls for many years already. The teen says he knows the risks and the possibility of being gored, but that doesn't stop him from entering the ring and facing a 500-pound bull.
"20/20" is anchored by Elizabeth Vargas and Chris Cuomo. David Sloan is executive producer.
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