School readiness survey - surprising?

[GirlfromtheNorthLondonCountry]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jan/30/some-children-starting-school-unable-to-climb-staircase-finds-england-and-wales-teacher-survey

Is it really the case that 4 year olds (absent disabilities) are unable to climb stairs or sit on the rug because of too much screen time? It just seems so extraordinary to me.

Yeah I agree with not blaming childcare for this situation. DC went to an amazing nursery and spent most of their time outside (as is their preference) and certainly wasn't sedentary. They played all day long and worked their way round the various set ups in the rooms and large beautifully designed garden including tree house and outside learning areas. The staff were amazing and a mix of ages and experience levels but well managed and supported in their jobs (hence good retention).

Nursery was especially important for helping DC get back into the world after lockdown. Nursery was closed in Mar 20 but we went back in Aug 20. At this time no other parent and child groups were running in our area so there would have still been huge numbers of children not engaged in any social groups outside of the home. And whilst this is fine for some children who have parents who are nailing it we know that not all are in that position for a myriad of reasons.

Speaking personally, prior to lockdown I had a 2 year old who was very well socialised, had been attending nursery 2 days a week for just over a year, was cared for the rest of the time either by parents or DGP (retired EY/SEN career). But the impact of those months of lockdown at that point in child development with only 1 hour spent outside of the house in solitude keeping 2m away from other humans had a profound effect on them. We obviously tried to compensate for this by finding the things we could do like post a letter, go on a bus etc but I'm well aware that their confidence pre and post was totally different.

Of course, but they are open again now so why aren’t they being used by the people who would actually get the most out of them? And who they are most probably intended for.

Haha, well for starters I won’t be having 3 because I don’t feel that with work and even quite good incomes we won’t have enough money, space or time to give them the upbringing we want to. I don’t even know if I’ll have a second yet.

I also plan on going back to work part-time, which I understand is a privileged position to be in. But as I said, we have friends where both parents work full-time and they don’t give their children iPads and YouTube. It absolutely can be done (and was for many years before now!).

Overall, the most direct reasons are probably screens and gaming across most sections of society, with varying reasons as to why parents resort to those.
Lots of children (and typically boys for some reason) aged 4 and 5 are given access to gaming and almost always it leads to the child losing interest in age appropriate play.
Overscheduling controlling parenting that leads to slightly different issues in the more affluent families.
A lack of play is the route cause of poor development. Parks are empty. And we all know why.

Right. My (light-hearted) point was more that you don't really know about any of this yet, but your post called parents lazy several times. You said they're lazy for giving screens, lazy for not cooking every night, etc. You don't know what it's like to work a full day and then parent multiple young children in the evening. You don't know whether you'll cook from scratch every night even when you're working and your child has turned 2 and is now suddenly feral for some reason (yep, it can also happen to your baby, classical music or not 😊). You don't know what you'll do when you've banned screens altogether but school want them doing phonics on an app. Calling parents lazy is not helpful to this discussion - it's more complicated than that.

Yes, of course I have!

I must have worded my post badly. I was thinking specifically of covid, not just that babies in utero can be affected by viruses their mothers contract.

Covid is known to be neurotoxic in some cases. It is possible that this effect also affects babies in utero and brain development in children who catch it themselves.

There is some evidence to support that, but it needs more research, as even the mere idea that covid could have lasting effects on the brains of children is a disturbing one.

So I mention it as a possible factor, following posts that are pointing out that any effects of different social exposure related to lockdown are not relevant to those born subsequently. Lockdown impact is limited to those who were around at the time. Effects of covid itself won't be.

The kids they are starting reception now were lockdown babies.

My kids don’t have tablets, although they do have screen time. There are definitely lazy parents but there are also other factors are play.

Also a big issue and this is the result of the lock downs is sitting kids in front of the screens while working instead of having them in an after school and holiday clubs or in nursery for longer days or hours. Particularly in the civil service jobs.
Cost, too, yes but there is always been that

Sure, and I take your point that I haven’t yet experienced it. I know there will be hard days and weeks ahead, where we will need to juggle parenting and work. However, it is my opinion that giving an iPad to a toddler every evening is lazy parenting because there are other options. Opinions are allowed here. It feels like sometimes you can’t say you think screens are lazy because parents who do use them get defensive about their use but you’re not allowed to defend your position on not using them. If a toddler has never had a screen then they won’t know what they are ‘missing out’ on. There’s enough research out there to say that quick-fire content like tablet games and YouTube videos is not good for young children. And things like TikTok for older children is even worse. I’d be more comfortable with TV, but it won’t be on all evening. I do remember watching educational TV shows as a child in the early 90s and enjoying learning about history in particular, so I can see there’s a place for that sort of thing. Horrible Histories, Art Attack, Blue Peter etc.

We cook from scratch 90% of the time now, so it’s not going to be something I see massively changing in our lives. Batch-cooking is our friend. It’s cheaper and healthier. And I say that as someone who grew up on a diet of chicken nuggets and frozen foods because my mum couldn’t be bothered to cook and banned us from talking at the dinner table as she wanted some peace and quiet after work… I really do think that was laziness and selfishness and I really do not want the same for my own child. I’m allowed to say right now that I intend to do better than that.

Of course you are - I didn't ask you not to say it, I just asked for an update in a few years' time 🤣

I have found that parenting is often about finding the right balance. I agree that iPads every night would be excessive, but that's extreme. You're responding to an extreme view (iPads every night) with another extreme view (no screens whatsoever). The reality for most people is somewhere in the middle, and in my opinion it's unhelpful to tar every parent who doesn't go to the extreme of banning all screens for all of eternity with the "lazy" brush.

I'm not saying this from a defensive point of view, by the way - my children only use tablets for school work and the TV is on sporadically. But I don't judge parents just because they make different choices from me, and I really do believe most parents are trying to do their best with the cards they're dealt.

@NewYearStillFat Sorry, yes I think we are coming at slightly different angles of the same point. It can’t just be lockdown or lazy parenting because things like the free sessions are still not being used. And I think part of that is a lack of understanding of why they should be used and the benefits they would bring to the child. It’s a whole web of issues.

My lazy parenting issue is with parents who give their child a tablet every evening after nursery and school as a way of keeping their child quiet. Or who bring them out in restaurants rather than including their child in the meal.

That comment has kind of been hijacked a bit as I also said though that it can partly be a financial issue too. A parent may feel they have to give the tablet because they’ve got the housework to do, and need to spend an hour cooking. Or don’t have any other way of making space for themselves in the day, so just want an hour to stare at their own phone. I don’t agree with it or like that course of action, but I can appreciate why it might be taken. It’s easier to not give an hour of tablet time if you don’t need to do housework or you have a spouse or partner who can look after the children whilst you go out to the gym and get a bit of alone time. But being able to do those things means you need a bit more money.

To add to this, I’ve noticed that a lot of parents who now work from home have stopped or reduced their use of wraparound care and holiday club after the lockdowns - taking their lunch break later to do the school run and continuing to work while their child is at home, probably on screens. So instead of spending time with friends and doing activities (our ASC sets out activities every day or the children can just play), they’re at home and probably on screens.

I work part time mainly around the school run, but I know that if I have to log back into work after picking my DD up, she’ll spend that time on screens unless I encourage her not to. And when I’ need to get something done, her being occupied on screens is just easier because it means less interruptions or complaints about being bored.

I definitely think there’s been a lowering expectations of children, he’s only a baby too young to do x y z. The belief they will be able to do it when they hit a magical age not the parenting work put in and building up.
Lack of time so parents just do it and children don’t get to practice.
I helped at a brownie pack holiday (kids 7-9) and none had washed/dried up (they loved it) or made a sandwich before (rolls, butter, fillings all laid out) this is in affluent area.
I saw the babies with iPads or phones in a holder on pram on holiday and was shocked. This was at Disney so lots of things for a baby in a pram to look at. Plus what my teen calls iPad kids in restaurants, eyes glued to it while mum puts food in their mouth.

Are you seriously saying that when you had your older children you didn't see anybody - acquaintances, friends, healthcare staff, family members - you spent every single day just with your children or your partner?

I would say that's quite unusual if so. When I had my children (well before Covid) I went out every day, spent time with my family and friends, even went to the cinema.

That said, it's great if you felt the whole thing didn't affect you. But I'm sure you can imagine that there were other parents - first time parents, or parents dealing with a bored toddler and newborn - who found the experience awful?

@EllieQ do you not think the reverse might be true? I wfh and use less wraparound care so the kids can go to karate, visit the library after school, go to the park. They enjoy wraparound care and definitely there’s some benefits but there’s also benefits to using it less. It depends what your motivation is and how you utilise that time. As a child I went to a childminder before and after school and it was so mind numbingly boring!

8 yrs ago when DD did her 2 year check the HV mentioned this good it was that she was familiar with books because they see lots of kids who've never read a physical book, just tablets and TV.

Made me sad because books have always been my comfort the idea of a generation of kids not having access to them is unfathomable,

Isolating a family affects a child's speech because it reduces that child's exposure to human interaction.

It should be pretty obvious that cutting people off from other people has negative consequences. It's why it's used as torture and punishment.

Watch the 2006 Idiocracy or Wall-e

I have noticed this as well. Our local authority has put on free parenting classes. Potty training, caring for teeth, diet, breastfeeding workshops, etc. I've done a few of them, most of the stuff is common knowledge but as a FTM it's stopped me second guessing myself and I've found them useful (plis there is free cake!). The turnout is terrible, and the other mums who attend are like me, professionals in their late 30s. I suppose it shows that you can't just throw money at a problem.

We have a declutter of books every couple of years to make space for new books!! There are only so many you can keep.. even when there are 10+ shelves!

I’m sure the reverse is true in many cases like yours - people who use the flexibility of WFH to spend more time with their children/ do afterschool classes etc, then make the time up later in the evening if needed. But I know parents who pick their kids up then come home and log back onto work, including some of my colleagues. And as I said, I’ve done it myself if I’ve got something to finish off. I just don’t think it’s ideal every day.

Interestingly, our ASC is now busier again over the past year, and I wonder if more people are having to go back to the office so need childcare again?

I've noticed a big push to try and portray screens for tiny children as 'educational'. 'Miss Rachel taught my child to speak!' 'it's an educational app!'

No wonder some parents genuinely don't realise that giving their pre schooler a tablet or phone or sitting them in front of the TV for hours per day is disadvantageous to their development.

It is lazy not to cook, or have prepped meals in advance.
It is lazy not to read to your kids and listen to them read to you.
Plenty of us work full-time in demanding jobs. Having kids is a choice and you need to take this stuff into account when deciding whether or not parenthood is for you.

From an early years teacher of nearly 2 decades, it's not at all surprising.
And no, it's not all due to Covid.
This decline started before Covid and is getting steadily worse.
It's not just children that have SEN or are vulnerable, there are a huge number of lazy parents- yes lazy.
People will come back at this and say I dont know if a child has needs resulting in the lack of toileting, etc, but experienced staff don't need a diagnosis to know if a child has additional needs causing their issues.
Bad dental hygiene, poor breakfast offerings, crisps and chocolate as the collect at the school gate every day, lack of supervision with devices, too much screen time, not spending even 5 minutes a day with a book or writing implement, staring at the phone instead of speaking to their child, not supporting them to use cutlery, giving up with toilet training after a few accidents; it's endless and its largely lazy parenting causing these issues.

It's not the overall reason, it may be a contributing factor, but these things with lazy parents were happening long before. Covid has become the whipping boy for too many things.