Why can’t kids do the basics?
Survey shows most confident with technology but large numbers unable to prepare breakfast or make a bed
Many Kiwi kids can use a cellphone and operate a remote — but can’t make their own bed or simple meals, according to a new survey. The survey by Sanitarium found 78 per cent of parents of children aged 5 to 7 said their child could use a cellphone and 89 per cent had mastered the remote, but only 29 per cent could make their own lunch.
Of that age group, 67 per cent of kids made their bed and 63 per cent made their breakfast.
Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin said the results were “concerning” as household tasks were important for teaching children resilience, independence and basic problem-solving.
“It’s all very well taking over to get the job done quickly and well, but this detracts from children’s simple skill knowledge and learning.”
Chatwin warned parents against always doing simple tasks for kids.
“By allowing children to take part and get involved with the simple things like cooking, do some chores and preparing small meals, you’re ensuring that your children have some of the basic skills.
“We need to be careful we are helping to grow well-rounded children — not dependants.”
Chatwin believed teaching children simple tasks helped them understand the dynamics of harder tasks.
“Just because the world has become more social media savvy and seemingly complicated, that does not mean that parents have to blindly accept these advances and changes to the detriment of making beds, stacking dishwashers and being capable of making a meal for oneself.”
The Sanitarium Weet-Bix Better Brekkie survey of 1000 Kiwis also found 44 per cent of parents with children aged 5 to 15 made their children’s breakfasts because they didn’t want the mess to clean up, were always in a hurry, or their child didn’t know how to make their breakfast.
Lynda Stuart, the president of primary teachers’ union NZEI, said she wasn’t surprised by the survey results. “I think it comes down to opportunities. Technology is easily accessible . . . It’s common now for kids as young as 2 to be playing with their parents’ cellphones and iPads.
“But kids might not be getting the same opportunities to learn how to make their lunch or to learn alongside their parents how to make their beds.”
But Stuart knew many children who did make their own lunches.
“It all comes down to the context of whether they have those opportunities to learn or not.”
It’s not the first revelation that some young Kiwi children lack basic skills.
In September, the Herald revealed that some children were starting school without the ability to speak in sentences, which sparked a government investigation.
The lack of speech skills was partially blamed on children spending too much time in front of screens and using electronic devices.