Pokemon TV show theories

I don't think Ash ages at all (or very slowly. He looks a little older to me from the X & Y Anime Trailer a few weeks back) because the show is meant towards kids, and I can't see a (he'd be 27 now if I'm not mistaken) 27 year old traveling the pokemon world collecting gym badges

There has been people around 30's at the leagues, also I don't understand whats with the thing of "if its a show for kids the lead has to be a kid, if its for men it has to be a man, women a woman" and so on, to me it makes no sense its like saying a little kid can't look up to a woman or a girl share views with a boy or a man connect with a girl(sick and tired of the overused kid leads in fantasy because its meant for kids)/rant.