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As early years practitioners, our job is to give children what they need to grow and flourish. Just as young plants need good soil and the right conditions to grow strong roots, children need appropriate nutrients and care to become resilient and weather any storms which may come their way in life.
We don’t want to expose children to ‘harsh climates’ too early, or they will struggle to thrive, but equally we don’t want to overprotect them so that they cannot learn to cope with life’s challenges.
Consider, for example, the growing rise in children with communication difficulties, or the spike in obesity and diagnosed mental health problems in young people. There are also concerns about ‘screen time’, social isolation and the number of children now deprived of free time, outdoor play and access to nature. Alongside these challenges, we can see daily acts of human kindness and courage – the things that help us survive and thrive when the going gets tough.
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