Abstract: In premodern societies, childhood was dominated by the certainty of adulthood. According to Rousseau, it was only in modern societies that we lost this certainty and "we don't know what nature allows us to become". Future has now become something with fundamental uncertainty and openness, not only for children themselves but also for adults. Therefore, modern democracy allows adults to negotiate future; education must be correspondingly supportive to children, recognize their uncertain plasticity and promote their autonomy. The existence of childhood is a necessary and empirical hypothesis. Announcing the disappearance of childhood or adulthood has no empirical proof and is therefore meaningless. The essential problem is how to give children educational and social support in order to develop their autonomy.

Key words: childhood, supportive education, disappearance of childhood, social support