A spicy hypothesis raised by this is that socializing too much with children is simply not good for your intellectual development. (I’m not going to test that hypothesis!)
I would also not want to test it. But there’s a middle ground that has had more testing: socializing with kids older than you.
I attended a democratic school that had children from 4yo up to 18yo, and we were all in the same environment, free to interact. That meant that there was always someone older you can look up to and learn from. And indeed, it seems to me that kids in democratic schools are much more mature.
I should mention that Montessori education also groups together several ages, though usually not this many.
I would also not want to test it. But there’s a middle ground that has had more testing: socializing with kids older than you.
I attended a democratic school that had children from 4yo up to 18yo, and we were all in the same environment, free to interact. That meant that there was always someone older you can look up to and learn from. And indeed, it seems to me that kids in democratic schools are much more mature.
I should mention that Montessori education also groups together several ages, though usually not this many.