Further investigation into the causes of our ‘unhappy’ children in the 2007 UNICEF report has highlighted some familiar issues. When the UK was compared with Spain and Sweden who have similar wealth and culture researches, interviewing families and 250 children, found that the differences are around time with children outdoors, setting boundaries and working long hours.
”Families in the UK appear to face greater pressures on their time and money, and react to this in ways they feel are counter productive to children’s well-being. Parents found it very hard to challenge the commercial pressures around them and their children.”
The UNICEF recommendations to the government include:
1. Playing out doors where social interaction is key
2. Spending time together as a family and earning a living wage rather working all hours to pay bills.
2. Banning advertising to children to reduce materialism as they have done in Sweden
I for one will start by not buying another CBB’s magazine! to review the report click on the link below. If your organisation is interested in supporting working parents to be ‘Good enough’ then please contact me for more details on my seminar covering these topics.
http://www.unicef.org.uk/Documents/Publications/UNICEFIpsosMori_childwellbeing_reportsummary.pdf