Are Our Kids Part of ‘The Fragile Generation’?

With the time for free, unsupervised play rapidly dwindling, researchers in the US are suggesting that the prevalence of constant adult direction and sterile, structured classes for co-curricular activities (football included) are leaving our kids unprepared to deal with the real world of rejection, loss and differing opinions.

According to the researchers, a lot of our well-intentioned frameworks & rules are actually ending up counter productive in the long run. So instead of preparing our children for the path, we’re ending up preparing the path for our children.

Here are a few excerpts from this excellent article:

“Nothing we do, no amount of toys we buy or ‘quality time’ or special training we give our children, can compensate for the freedom we take away. The things that children learn through their own initiatives, in free play, cannot be taught in other ways.”

“Parents today know all about the academic milestones their kids are supposed to reach, but not about the moments when kids used to start joining the world.”

“This isn’t a criticism of parents, but more an opportunity for us to reflect on our parental behaviours and maybe make changes, if we think they’re merited.”