Mums’ Fear Keeps Kids At Home
By admin • May 4th, 2010Having their child go missing, get injured or worse is the worst fear of every parent, however, these concerns are now causing many mums and dads to actively encourage their kids to stay indoors.
In a recent survey conducted by the insurance provider LV=, over two-thirds of parents admitted that they think the world today is a more dangerous place for children than it was when they themselves were growing up.
Meanwhile, 43 per cent of respondents said that they would not allow their kids to go to a park near their home if they were not accompanied, while 24 per cent would not let their children stay the night at a friend’s if they were under 15 years old.
The poll, which was conducted to support the launch of the Streetwise, also revealed that 60 per cent of children are forbidden by their mums and dads to use public transport without one of them present.
As a result, children today can expect to wait as much as two years longer than their parents did before they experience the equivalent levels of freedom, with many spending much of their time stuck indoors at home watched over by their mums and dads.
However, commenting on the news, Alison Charlton, LV= streetwise manager, said that she did not believe many of these fears were proportional to the risk.
Rather, she claimed that the genuine concerns of parents are raised by the coverage given in the media to any accidents or incidents involving children.
Ms Charlton urged mums and dads to talk openly with their kids in order to educate them about the different risks they may face when on their own outside and help them to learn what they could do to avoid coming into contact with any dangers.
"It’s not a case of being completely safe, it’s a case of being as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible and that’s the key. You have got a life to live and there is risk everywhere, but you just need to be aware and modify your behaviour in order to stay safe," she explained.
Parents could find out more about how to talk to their children about potential dangers at the LV= Streetwise safety roadshow, which has been designed to teach children about safety both at home and outdoors.
The show will feature areas where kids may experience dangers in their day-to-day lives, including a life-size kitchen, a lounge area and road and rail hazard simulators, in order to teach young people about safety issues.
Elsewhere, Debbie Pearlman Hougie, a senior lecturer in rural geography at the University of Hertfordshire, recently urged parents to make the prospect of playing outside "trendy", in order to encourage kids to drag themselves away from the television, computer or games console and get some fresh air and exercise.
Do you worry about letting your children play outside?