Internet generation 'ill-prepared for adult life’

Nowadays, children are living in virtual environments instead of the real world. Children make friends online they form their social network on ‘the net and they play online games’. All this living online will prevent children to develop properly .
According to John Gibson, chairman of the Independent Schools Association, outdoor play was a ‘primitive preparation’ for adult life. While playing outdoors children were confronted with peers and situations in which they could develop and discover skills. Gibson is not the only one with concerns. Child psychiatrist also stated that there are “potentially severe consequences" for their education and social opportunities if children spent up to 16 hours on the computer.
Gibson points out the importance of playing outdoors and the fact that parents are to protective to let their children play by themselves outside of the house and garden. Studies have shown that a quarter of eight to ten year olds had never played outside without adult supervision. The so called ‘stranger danger’ is what is preventing outdoor play.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/5319571/Internet-generation-ill-prepared-for-adult-life.html

Reaction:

Sometimes I do get the feeling that children are overly protected. Not only protected but pampered and spoiled as well. John Gibson is definitely on the right track and keeping children indoors at all times is not preferable for their development. It is also easy to put a child in front of a computer or television screen. The downside to this is that the child will not be exposed to other children and will not develop social skills. They will develop online social skills but it is easier to connect with a person online than it is in real-life. Parents should make their children go outside to play and discover the world, you can not protect your child every minute of every day.