Julie Robinson, education and training director of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) warned parents and teachers that providing too many distractions for children with ‘an exhausting programme of endless after-school activities’ could reduce young people’s independence and social development.
Writing in IAPS magazine Attain, Ms Robinson said more emphasis should be placed on 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.’
The former head teacher also cautioned parents against being ‘accidentally drawn into “overbearing parenting” by pre-planning each minute. Children should be given space and time to take their own risks and make their own decisions, she said.
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