Childhood 'poisoned' by modern life

[Enid]

junk food and no exercise is 'poisoning' childhood

Surely all these depressed/obese kids are an urban myth?

My take on it is that there have always been fat kids and stupid people, whats new?

Are the people that signed this letter living in a bubble of nostalgia?

i can't understand that joelallie, the goverment has just introduced free play where children are encouraged to do exactly what they want. we run playschemes that are art based but we now have to just provide the material and the children can do what they want.

That's awful joelallie , I have such found memories of playtime at school. How old are your children?

martianbishop, they just looked so serene.....
and those wimples! (not a chance of a double chin in one of those..)

I assume it is due to concerns about them not getting enough exercise? If they call it 'huff and puff' (yeugh) I imagine that means they envisage them getting out of breath?

katierocket - 7 and 9. Both are physically active and enjoy PE but would rather have their playtimes to themselves.

mb brilliant last post
children need to learn "social skills"

bozza re raining with mates playing in was a treat here too lol
and i had no choice neither
but saying that i didnt want to sit in all day

KathyMCMLXXII - yes I think it is. Very laudable I'm sure but not popular with the kids.

Excellent post Martianbishop and at MrsApronstrings description

Beatie (and others): I think the issue of geographical freedom that we have been discussing here is implicit in the letter when they talk about "developing human beings have always needed, ......., real play (as opposed to sedentary, screen-based entertainment), first-hand experience of the world they live in,....." and "Our society rightly takes great pains to protect children from physical harm, but seems to have lost sight of their emotional and social needs".

I think as well, to be fair on the authors, they are not trying to assume what the solution is - they are just calling for a debate on how we could/should address the issues that they have identified.

Personally I am determined to give my 6 year old ds the freedom that I experienced. Fortunately, I have one or two mothers close by who share my views. Yes, I will be pilloried if something were to happen to him, but the odds that happening are very small - and the benefits to him of increased confidence and independence very big.

He went to the post box on his own a couple of weeks ago (while he was still 5 ) - about a 3 minute walk, but around the corner on the other side of the road. He took ages (I ended up going out to check where he was, but then went back home) becasue he was just loving have the opportunity to wander slowly, exam the moss on the walls, the leaves on the pavement..... without mum or dad hissing at him "Hurry UP".

I also made sure it was a letter that it didn't really matter if it got posted or not!

Martianbishop and Enid -was the book called "Something to do"?
I have got this book and it is a pink puffin with a tree on the front. It's got the Matchbox furniture but not sure about the tank. . .and the section about being ill in bed.
I loved this book so much, i recently bought this copy on ebay to replace my childhood fave which he been given away. The illustrations are lovely and they are by shirley hughes.

I think that may be a matter of interpretation PB.

I ascertain that my child can have a well-balanced non-sedentary upbringing without me having to open the front door and let her out to play all day without me knowing where she is.

I just dislike the way that element is always pounced on as if it is that black and white. Children are done a diservice because they aren't put out to play all day without their parents knowing where they are ?

I think that the key issue is that children should be able to play freely witohout their every action being monitored.

If my children are in the house, I am aware of shouting and yelling, thumps bumps and every passing yelp.

And like one of Pavolov's dogs I respond to every one of them! And I shouldn't. To a degree they have to learn to just get on with things, without the constant intervention and arbitration of an adult. In doing so they are learning life skills.

It helps if I am not there all the time. Just like sometimes it helps that I am there.

Negelct and mollycoddling are at opposite ends of the spectrum, happy children are found somewhere in the middle

PB - not because you let your 5 year old post a letter though, I just wanted to add.

When I was 5 I used to walk to school alone with my neighbour who was my best friend. My mum has confessed only a few years ago that she followed us the first few times we did it

Beatie - I was followed by my mum when I took a train to a ballet lesson and then walked up a lane to get to the house where the lessons took place. I was only about 9. I did know my mum was following me though - but I now wonder if she follwed me a few more times without me knowing before leaving me too it!

I also wasn't meaning to get at you - it's just I had a different interpretation of the ltter. Although I think the letter has achieved at least part of its objective - to generate debate!

LOL - just looked at the original letter in the Daily Telegraph and some of the comments from readers. One reader thinks it is all the fault of political correctness and feminism.

We had better get back into the kitchen, girls!

MB: I completely agree with you. The best things about having a large and dilapidated house and garden is that we tend only to hear prolonged and loud crying. As I pop my head over the paper and ask DH 'where are the kids?', I'm never sure whether to berate myself for neglect or congratulate myself for allowing them independence. But I think it's the latter. They don't have to be running wild to have that.

We've managed to convert loafing into an opportunity for autonomy. DD1 and DD2 (nearly 4 and 5) make their own breakfast on weekend mornings whilst we lie in bed. I've finally managed to stop myself from shouting out 'Don't touch the kettle, the toaster or the big knives' as they canter downstairs and not worry about the bizarre assortment of food they forage for (mini jaffa cakes, ham, ritz biscuits and tangerines for breakfast anyone?).

And before anybody jumps down my less than egalitarian throat, yes, I completely understand that letting your small children play independently in a small flat probably ranges from the difficult to the downright impossible.

I don't disagree with the sentiments in the letter, but I do think its a bit nostalgic to imagine that people paid more attention to children's mental welfare in the past. Past generations of children in our family have had to put up with evacuation, being sent to convalescence homes for months of isolation from family, being separated from parents being treated for TB (for years)and family break-up. It was assumed that children could either be protected from any trauma by sweeping any problems under the carpet, or that because they showed no obvious signs of distress they were OK. I don't think people thought is was possible for a child to be depressed.

Meanwhile, I wasn't allowed to go to the park on my own when I was 7 in the 1970's in London. This had nothing to do with 'stranger danger' and everything to do with my mother's fear of me being hit by a car. I agree that people have an overdeveloped fear of child abduction, but the dangers of traffic are very real.

Yes, I am 43 and my childhood was in no way idyllic. Or outdoorsy. It was pretty vile, really, cooped up indoors a lot.

I agree with the sentiment just by looking around generally. Kids seem to be getting fatter, have less respect and look to be entertained rather than being inventive themselves. A teacher I know was marking schoolwork last week from a class of 7 year olds and at the bottom of one jotter the boy had written 'this is fucking shite'. The school is in a middle class area but from listening to them chatter at playtime it was obvious that the troublemakers were the ones with TVs and computer games in their bedroom so they are watching what they want unsupervised.

I don't think so. I had loads of freedom, but my mother's response to me being unhappy was to tell me to "Put your face straight"

The freedom was great, but I think too much emphasis was placed on getting children as independant as possible. There wasn't really much bother qabout whether I did well at school, or did my homework, or had friends, or went out - as long as I didn't bother my parents with it.

It gave me a bee in my bonnet actually, about people who expect too much maturity from small children. One of my friends regularly tells her daughter "You know that you will get hurt/won't be allowed to do X if you don't stop doing that" Er, no she doesn't, she is 2.

Talking about TV's in children's room, I was watching the Channel 5 morning/pre-schooler's slot the other day, and there was a competition to win a DVD player, which the presenter said would be lovely for the winner to have in their room.

When we grew up our Mum fed us complete Sh*t a lot of the time, typical dinners were beefburger and chips, plus we were all bottle fed, because it was fashionable.

I think there is a lot more awareness nowadays about health/food etc - we stretch to buy expensive organic veggies when we can, I breast feed etc because I'm a lot more aware of health issues than my Mum was. However, I agree its a class issue a lot of the time. A lot of people buy junk food just because its cheaper and quicker and the manufacturing industry should take a lot of the blame for pushing this rubbish into children's faces with adverts on CITV etc.

I spend all my life saying NO to playstations, fruitshoots, mobile phones (should not be used by anyone under 17), crisps etc. They are fine in moderation but not as a staple diet.

People are much more sedentary now, for the reasons given in the letter and postings here.

I too (like Bundle) was shocked when we went to Weymouth two years ago, by the number of huge fat kids and mums on the beach - whole fat families? How do they get so huge? My kids tear around the house, even when its raining and they can't go outside - these fat kids must surely just sit still and eat all day to be so huge ?

i know it is an organised activity, but scouts/cubs offer kids a chance to get dirty, build stuff, camp, hike,take risks, and push themselves physically. mine often come home telling me of a great day they've had and my heart stops, thinking of the possiblities for danger they faced! I would recommend it highly though

kids are fatter, its just fact,

but its not their fault its a combination of lazy parents, ignorance to food nutrition, lack of exercise,

if im to express my true opinion, its down to parents,

theyd much rather buy a packet of chicken nuggets and bag of chips than to take the time to prepare a proper meal,

then theyll shove a DVD on,or the PSP and let the kids get on with it,

personally my boys will get bikes, scooters, rollerblades for christmas, no PSPs Xboxes ect ...

they will have things like computers when they get to the age that they ask for them, but it will be a restricted time limit.

As for food, cheap food is just that ... cheap.

Many mums in poorer circumstances think buying this crap food is justified, but many just dont care,

many would rather buy cigs and a 6 pack than grapes and bananas,

and before some jump to the conclusion im a 40 year old upperclass mum that drives her kids to private school in her jeep,

im a 21 year old mum of two that lives in a council house BUT that only fuels me to break the stereotype ,

my son has just had a slice of brown toast, a beaker of water, a tangerine and sliced apple for breakfast - and loved it!

Kids are getting fatter ... and its parents fault!

i was watching Jaimes school dinners last night and actully cried when a little boy said 'ive just had 5 scoops of salad jamie'

jamie said 'oh, good - did you like it?' and he replied 'yeah - its the first time ive ever had salad'

this kid was about 8!!! whats going on in the world, people are slowly killing their children,

my cousin is now 11, shes in a size 18 WOMANS clothes, all she ate growing up was nuggets chips & tomato sauce - and her mum allowed it

now shes a seriously overweight pre-teen, who is shy, embarresed and extremely self concious about her weight,

its so sad