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  Cotton Wool Kids March 30, 2008  Watch our report hereReporter: Kirstine Lumb Producer: Mark Greive There's an epidemic that's threatening to stifle the development and independence of our children. It's an epidemic of fear. This week Sunday asks; are our kids being over-protected and mollycoddled like never before, and in the end could they all suffer the consequences? Children are being taught that the world is a scary place, where predators lurk around every corner. Few children now walk to school or play in the local bush or park on their own. Parents are afraid to let them out of their sight and accompany them everywhere. Yet this fear of "Stranger Danger" is false. Professor Paul Wilson, Chair of Criminology at Bond University, believes obsessive media coverage has bred a climate of fear. Children are just as safe now in public as they have been for the last 20 or 30 years. Another reason for overprotection is the shrinking size of our families. Relative to the size of our population this current generation of children is the smallest we have ever produced. Social Commentator & Psychologist Hugh Mackay says this had led to "Helicopter Parenting" where parents hover over their children at home, at the park, at school; and "Trophy Parenting" where parents compete with each other via their kids. Claire Owen who runs a counselling service for kids is seeing more stressed out and anxious children than ever before. She says that there's too much pressure on children to grow up quickly: "kids just need to be kids." The consequences could be dire. Hugh Mackay says "We're looking forward to one of the most rebellious generations of adolescents we will have ever seen". For more information contact Claire Owen at the B Centre (02)9986 0955 besupported@becentre.com.au |
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