Whats the difference?

When I was a teen studying Yoshukai karate in Lakeland, Florida; I was only an 1st kyu Brown Belt. I was not able to gain Shodan in that style at the time because I was not yet 18yrs of age. Now-a-days you see mirco mini kids running around in McKarate Schools wearing Black Belts. (also you were not allowed to participate in karate at the time if you were younger then 9 yrs old).