A U.K. educational expert has adviced forceful parents, to give their children timed to be bored.
Julie Robinson, the education and training director of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS), in the U.K., warns that parents who force children into too many extra-curricular activities are stifling their development.
She advices that why music lessons, sports lessons or online learning may stimulate children and fill their time after school, too many distractions could lead to generations of unbalanced and anxiety-ridden individuals.
She believes that 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.”
Mrs Robinson,who is a former headmistress, also advices parents to be wary of the internet and computers and warned that the web yields “the best and the worst of life.”
And that while advanced technology has brought a wealth of educational opportunities, communication and fun, it can deny young people the opportunity to interact with other people face-to-face.
“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.”
According to her, ‘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 said.
“These soft skills are what future employers will look for, and by encouraging explicit analysis of social interaction we will serve today’s children.”
And so she tells parents,
“So, above all, try to resist being accidentally drawn into ‘overbearing parenting’ by preplanning each minute.
“Children need space and time so that they can develop independence and take risks.”
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