Things used to be better

When I was at infants school, with the exception of rainy days we could run around in the playground and play whatever games we wanted.

Teachers only interfered if things got rough or we decided to fight.

Health and Safety in this Granny State has gone too far.

Most children are no longer allowed to have snowball fights or play contact games in the playground because of the “inherent dangers.”

When I was at school, my friends always played out afterwards and ran themselves ragged while I got lots of exercise delivering fruit, vegetables and potatoes door to door because we were very poor.

My friends and I became “street wise” very quickly.

Unfortunately children can’t really play out now-a-days unless they have the protection of a garden because of increased traffic volume and fear of Child Predators.

The emergence of Child Predators

During the last 30 years parents’ awareness of Child Predators of all ages has increased at an alarming rate.

This started when the previous Tory Government’s lack of funding forced the removal of “the beat bobby” in all parts of the UK.

This lack of a Police presence triggered a new confidence amongst both the unruly and criminals and resulted in such a major explosion of lawlessness that the majority of parents considered the streets to be an unsafe place for their kids.

Children have gradually become accustomed to sitting at home, watching TV or playing computer games and snacking.

Despite successive Governments boasting of their increased funding of education, children have been deprived of the essential “street wisdom” they learn when playing with other kids outside their school environment.

Have any local MP’s demanded free local play centres where children can go to enjoy their chosen games with new friends and increase both their confidence and physical fitness?

It’s Easier to Pin the Blame on Parents

The cumulative effect of children having to stay indoors with little exercise has resulted in some gaining weight.

Your children haven’t become suddenly lazy; because it’s a fact that when unrelated kids get together they rarely stop running around.

They’ve always been this way and always will if the children I know are anything to go by.

Our “sound bite” Politicians aided and abetted by publicity seeking Pinhead Celebrities have blamed parents for not feeding their children properly.

Although there will always be parents who fail their children how dare anyone, Politicians or rich celebrities brand every parent with the same iron.

Children of all ages including young teenagers are bored silly because there aren’t any inviting local facilities for them to just go and chill.

What really winds me up are the Politicians who lacked the foresight to spot these consequences deciding to pin 100% of the blame on parents.

In truth, they were too preoccupied with their own careers

Are Children more badly behaved Today?

The accusation that some children are more badly behaved today than ever before is yet another consequence of having the time to watch too much television and learning more about bad behaviour than their parents will ever know.

Being a rebel is also a way by which they can impress their peers exactly the same as their parents did when they excelled in the school games that have more recently been declared unsafe by Health and Safety.

Incidentally there have always been bad kids, but then the Teachers, men and women used to be allowed to kick the odd backside or two before the Wet Liberals saw something else they could interfere with.

Meanwhile thousands of perfectly decent and loving parents are left feeling gutted when a visiting school nurse pronounces their child over weight.

Beware of Devious Politicians

One final thought: It isn’t a coincidence since food prices have once again started to rise and election time is looming that both Government and Opposition have stopped lecturing parents how to feed their children properly?

But then every vote will count this time particularly when almost 250 new inexperienced MP’s (all parties) are expected to join Parliament to replace those who have jumped ship.