“Children just aren’t resilient these days” is a common statement I hear a lot lately…. and it makes me wonder… Considering that some children will naturally be more resilient than others because of their temperament and genetics… (these are those children who can get on with it even after disappointment).
However what about those children who are not naturally resilient… why are we seeing an increase in their inability to cope, to move on, to try new things, to take risks? I have many theories on this including the changing family unit, decrease in “family time”, parenting styles, increase in use of technology and less need to use imagination, pressure on children to perform and take on many extra curricula activities (my after school activities in the 70’s & 80’s were playing outside) now we have soccer, piano, dance, tennis… and that’s just for 1 child!!
I attended a Conference recently and mental health issues have increased 5x over the last 40 years… I wonder.. are we experiencing more or are we talking about it more.. or both?
However i think more concerning is that there is pressure on many early childhood services to “educate” children in numeracy and literacy before they get to school. Children are being exposed to experiences that are not only developmentally inappropriate but decrease their curiosity, imagination, analytical thinking and enjoyment in play. Many educators know this, however feel pressure from families to create these types of “end product” programs.
I strongly believe that we need to share with families our knowledge & expertise about how children learn, not just so that children’s learning is meaningful and their transition to school positive but more importantly that they develop skills that will support their resilience.
Mental health and current research indicates 1 in 2 people will experience mental health issues (short term anxiety etc) in their lifetime AND 1 in 5 will experience mental health illness in their lifetime.
When children engage in exploratory play they experience risk taking, success within themselves, increased confidence. They become active participants hence have purpose. We collaborate and co-construct alongside them supporting their ideas and decisions as well as moving on when things may not go to plan.
I always share with families the significance of play not only within the service but also at home. I also challenge families and ask… What would you rather? A child who has learnt to read / write before school, however cannot cope with daily disappointments at school… or a child who is curious about learning, socially confident and emotionally adaptable?
Every family I have worked with chooses the latter. So families want what is best for their child… it is therefore up to us as educators to share with them what that looks like and this conversation has never been more important than right now.
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