Are We Over Protecting Our Children?
The short answer to this question is simply ‘YES’. Fears regarding safety and litigation have resulted in playgrounds that are unchallenging and unappealing to young people. Parents are obsessively concerned with protecting their children and this is leading to their offspring not developing the resilience and physical skills that they need.
The streets today are choked with traffic, unrecognisable compared with the roads that we used to play in as children. And the toys of today (video games and computers) actually appear to encourage physical idleness. The explosion in the use of the mobile phone has also contributed to the lazy, sedentary lives that many of us and our children lead today.
Surveys of children and young people have shown that most would actually like to spend more time engaged in healthy activities but facilities no longer exist. Many of us can recall growing up at a time when people were poor and there were very few purpose built facilities for young people. We look at the modern parks and play areas and think ‘what is wrong with kids today, we didn’t have all this when we were young.’
It is true that the modern, well designed and safe play areas and parks didn’t exist when we were young but what we did have was space. The roads were far less crowded and it was possible to play football or soccer in the street outside your house. Where there are now housing estates and car parking spaces there was once open space, ideal for adventurous play. The playgrounds of the sixties and seventies would have just a few pieces of poorly maintained playground equipment. Maybe a slide, some swings and occasionally a roundabout. The fact that the equipment was old and a little dangerous made it all the more exciting! Today much of this equipment would be considered unsafe and local authorities would not allow it to be used for fear of expensive claims for damages if a child hurt themselves using it.
It is us, the older generation who are responsible for these changes and the growing risk aversion that is denying our children the opportunities to play outdoors. I am not suggesting that we should tolerate poorly maintained or dangerous playground equipment in our parks and play areas but what I am saying is that we are responsible for the overcrowded, unhealthy society in which we live today and the over-protection of our youngsters. The developmental needs of our children have been pushed aside as we have tried to make everything ultra-safe in order to allay our anxieties whilst, at the same time, we’ve allowed our towns and cities to become horribly overcrowded.
We need to fix things now! We need to provide our children with the opportunities to play outdoors, to have adventures, to develop their physical skills, resilience and to be trusted. We need to take a hard look at the society that we have created and the examples that we set and take steps to make it a healthy society with facilities and attitudes that encourage youngsters to develop healthy habits.
By Tony Gee
I recommend a good garden trampoline or wooden playhouse which you can get from http://www.climbingframesuk.com/
September 19th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Even in the fifties the short school recess periods were generally boring and heavily monitored. Most of the more strenuous and “risky” physical activity that I received was in undeveloped areas, residential yards, and streets. Trees, for example, were far more challenging and exciting to climb than any playground equipment. More importantly, bicycles were prized possessions and regularly used for transportation and recreation.
September 20th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
At least the kids are allowed to run in the public playgrounds. Many schools do not allow running on the playground anymore lest a child fall down.
Then again, perhaps parents should be careful about allowing their children to play unsafely (i.e. running and climbing). If they fall down and get hurt, the parents could lose their child to social services for neglect.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Over-protection might be contra-productive, however to be prepared is basically what safety is about. I believe its up to the government to provide safety of their citizens, I do however know that this is not the reality in many places. I try to keep in mind that accidents will happen, people will get hurt but it’s also normal and a part of the learning process for a child.
May 30th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Children are under protected. What occurs is that we focus too much on certain things and nothing or little on others. For example the number reason for children going to the hospital is either dog bites or baseball injuries, depending on your particular city.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I think that we have need to worry nowadays. When I was 15 (and I’m 22 now) I would go down London without even thinking, now I wouldn’t go alone. I wouldn’t say that children need us to protect them more, they need us to give them the tools that they need to stay safe themselves.
July 27th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I’m a fan of the old fashioned toys. I’m probably biased but they always required more imagination and lasted a whole lot longer. I’d say playgrounds are simply a traditional outdoor version of these. They’re wholesome, real, solid activities that kids can enjoy.
It’ll be a sad day if common sense gives way to hysteria. And ultimately its our children who will suffer most from it.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:05 am
as karen said above i am a fan of old fashioned toys and games but our streets are not that safe anymore as they used to be, i remember when all the kids from the block used to hang out and play baseball on the street…its been years and years since i havent seen anything like that anymore anywhere!
August 16th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
I’d say that without doubt that adults today are over-protecting their children.
In one hand they moan about the disapearance of the happy childhood of kids today, and with the other they hold onto their child and refuse to let them play in the street!
August 24th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I agree wholeheartedly although i am also guilty of over-protection.
When i was young i would play on the street outside our house and my parents were not overly worried. Now i wouldn’t dream of letting my kids play on the street, i’m even wary of them being in the garden unless i’m watching them. Perhaps society on the whole has gone downhill, or such easy access to news has made us all paranoid.
September 1st, 2009 at 11:20 pm
I can’t tell you how glad I am that you have brought this up - I think that the world has gone mad! Not being allowed to play conkers in the playground, not being allowed to play underneath tress in case a branch drops down, not allowing parents to watch children or take pictures at sports days. I could go on for ever, but we seem intent on ruining the fun of childhood to avoid risks that are so small they are barely even risks at all. In addition to the children I also feel very sorry for the teachers - who on earth would work in a school these days? If a kid falls over and hurts themself in a playground the teachers aren’t even allowed to touch them! I’m sorry but my first reaction to would be to pick them up and given them a hug - which would probably get me 20 years behind bars!
Anyway, sorry for the long rant but you have touched on an important subject that I feel very strongly and emotive about. Bring back common sense!
Chloe
September 8th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Adults do over protect their children in everyway possible, but can you blame them?
Our society has become a dangerous place to live, there is more evil in the world today and mix that with the PC running of this country by the government and what choice do parents have?
The government needs to clean up the streets and the parents need to also learn children some respect. This country is turning into a slobbish country but their are so many factors to blame, it is not a one solution fixes alll scenario.
I feel sorry for the kids today because gone are the days when as a child you can leave your house on a Saturday morning and come back in the evening without your parents knowing where you were and having to worry.
October 15th, 2009 at 6:04 am
I think much of the violence and crimes that is rampant today in our cities is due to kids not having much to do. This is especially true when kids get out of school and have alot of time on their hands. Many get involved with gangs and other groups that promise a better life. However, they fail to realize that those are short lived and might ruin their lives forever. We need to establish more social programs and after school activities so that our kids can get involved and find a clear path for their future.