Playtime over go time
While violin lessons, sports clubs and online learning may stimulate children and fill their time after school, too many distractions could lead to generations of manic and anxiety-ridden people, a British educator says.
Julie Robinson, the education and training director of the Independent Association of Prep Schools, says more importance must be placed on reflection, meditation and calm.
“It is all too easy for parents to be sucked into a competitive busyness, ensuring that children are constantly occupied and stimulated,” she said. “We should not fear boredom, however. Quiet, reflective time is just as important as purposeful activity.”
Writing in Attain, the IAPS magazine, Robinson says parents must try to strike the right balance between ambition and selfdiscipline. Children who are pushed too hard risk being run ragged with endless extracurricular activities. However, those left to their own devices could lose that competitive edge, she adds.
Robinson’s comments are likely to add fuel to the debate between so-called tiger mothers, who are often accused of throwing their children into every possible activity, and parents with a more laissez-faire attitude to bringing up their children.
Robinson, a former headmistress, says parents should be wary of the Internet and warns that the web yields “the best and the worst of life.”
Although advanced technology has brought a wealth of educational opportunities, communication and fun, it can deny young people the opportunity to interact with people face-to-face, she says. Happiness doesn’t come from a “regime of unrealistic multitasking, running oneself ragged with an exhausting program of endless after-school activities.
“Computers are an exciting fact of life now, but do bear in mind that human development follows a pattern of phases and stages which has not changed because of the digital revolution,” she said. “Children need time to develop through tactile play and plenty of movement, developing dexterity.”
Robinson says children need to be left to learn the art of forming relationships and studying human expressions and emotions, and if they are not, they risk being left behind in the world of further education and work.
“Through making friends and suffering occasional unkindness, we develop an understanding of the motives of others and by trial and error we learn effective communication skills,” she says. “These soft skills are what future employers will look for, and by encouraging explicit analysis of social interaction we will serve today’s children.”
In a message to parents, she concludes: “Above all, try to resist being accidentally drawn into ‘overbearing parenting’ by preplanning each minute. Children need space and time so they can develop independence and take risks.”