Cotton Wool Kids

When I was a child I have a few distinct memories that stand out from the rest.

The majority are ones to cherish. Some however are memorable for different reasons. 

The first example that springs to mind is the memory of my older sister pulling me off a rope ladder and knocking my tooth out, on a wooden bar below.  Not exactly the fairytale memory. 

The tooth was hanging on by a thread, blood, tears and a rather sheepish looking sister made for quite a dramatic Sunday afternoon in the garden and one I should imagine that is common place across the country. 

The funny thing is I also remember my parents being incredibly relaxed. ‘These things happen, it was an accident and I guess that means the tooth fairy will come…’ They said. Fussing was kept to a minimum, and I was back on that rope ladder before dinner was on the table that evening!

The question most of us want to know is, how tough should I be on my kids or in the case of GrownUps, grandkids? 

One opinion – get them ready for the real world where rope ladders are just the start of the obstacles they will come to face in life.  Others prefer wrapping them in cotton wool and protecting them from all things ‘potentially harmful’. 

This approach may stop the odd nosebleed and grazed knee but what damage is being done much deeper…? Is it right to stop kids being kids? We all turned out alright so what has changed so much in this modern world that we live in?

The internet… an unbelievable tool for knowledge, news and entertainment. In 1992 the world was hit by this phenomenon and it’s developed and expanded in a way no-one back then could ever have imagined (unless your name is Bill Gates that is). Before this supply of seemingly endless knowledge on how to raise your children, parents took their guidance from friends, colleagues and their own parents, and made the best judgement they could. Kids were kids. Curious? Yes. Naive? Possibly. Stupid? It depends on your take but in my opinion, No. 

Today everything can be accessed via Google or your preferred search engine. Kids now-a-days become an adult at the age of 10 it seems.  The internet, mobile phones and television are quickly stripping our children of the freedom and innocence of youth, taking over what used to be the rope ladders and swings of our gardens. Everything is more accessible now, and I mean everything. Its almost impossible to find a balance of allowing the child to be like all the other children, as well as monitor what it is exactly they do all day on all those electronic devises.

Each parent has a different approach and opinion on what they believe to be right and wrong. One thing I will say is this. Whether you’re worried about what your kids could find on the internet, or concerned who they could meet in the mall, if you wrap your kids in cotton wool and don’t allow them to make their own decisions you could be doing more harm than good. Often they will rebel against your limitations and get into a worse situation than they may have done otherwise. 

Get them outside, get them into sports or activities and get them enjoying life through interaction and real experiences. Give them an opportunity to grow up but not through television, mobile phones and the internet, but through living life, in the real world, with missing teeth, band aids and the odd bleeding nose. 

By Katy Powell