Pushy parents bad for children

The youngsters are better off playing in the garden, building dens or making up games and dance routines with their friends, experts said.

However, over-anxious mothers and fathers are ignoring the benefits of spontaneous play and enrolling their offspring in structured entertainment like ballet classes, swimming lessons and

sport sessions.

This “over-scheduling” of children can lead to bad behaviour, family experts warn today.

Child behavioural specialist Kris Murrin said: “Parents shouldn’t worry about organising their children’s time but instead give them the space and permission to create their own fun.

“Free, unstructured play – such as creating pretend games – allows children to explore the world around them and teaches them to express themselves, developing key skills for adulthood such

as decision-making skills and self-confidence.

“Kids have fertile imaginations which should be developed in these formative years to help build the social skills essential for later life.’’

Almost three-quarters of parents always plan play and entertainment activities and half feel concerned if their child is not occupied with a structured activity.

Yet mothers and fathers admit these entertainment-based activities often leave children hyperactive (37 per cent), with two-thirds of children having trouble calming down and going to bed

afterwards.

Parents also report a difference in children’s behaviour following participation in different types of play.

Four in 10 report that free play noticeably develops their child’s confidence while a further third find their child is more focused and better behaved.

However, the average child is forced to attend at least two after-school classes a week, the study by Persil’s Every Child Has The Right To Be A Child campaign.

This is despite more than half saying they prefer to have the time to create their own play, which also leaves them feeling better rewarded and confident.

Frank Furedi, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent and author of Paranoid Parenting, called on parents to have confidence in their own parenting skills and ignore pressure to do

certain things from other parents, family experts and policymakers to do what’s best for their child.

He said: “Today’s parenting culture de-skills mothers and fathers. It places enormous pressures on parents to turn away from what only they can do.

“The good news is that, if parents understand the pressures that bear down upon them, they can insulate themselves from it.

"They may still be anxious about their children’s well-being, but at least it will be possible to put those fears into a more balanced perspective.’’

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You

can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. However, you will find some great articles which you can comment on right now in our Comment section.

See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.