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| British children 'babied' by intrusive parents, says MP | British children 'babied' by intrusive parents, says MP |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| UK children are being "babied" by overly-intrusive parents, leaving them unable to cope as they grow up, an adviser to David Cameron has said. | UK children are being "babied" by overly-intrusive parents, leaving them unable to cope as they grow up, an adviser to David Cameron has said. |
| Speaking to the Times, Conservative MP Claire Perry criticised parents for filling children's lives with too many organised activities. | Speaking to the Times, Conservative MP Claire Perry criticised parents for filling children's lives with too many organised activities. |
| Parents were also failing to lay down the law and set "limits", she said. | Parents were also failing to lay down the law and set "limits", she said. |
| Mrs Perry advises the prime minister on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood. | Mrs Perry advises the prime minister on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood. |
| The Devizes MP told the paper that over-parenting was stifling children's ability to fend for themselves. | The Devizes MP told the paper that over-parenting was stifling children's ability to fend for themselves. |
| "We've created a treadmill, it's usually the mother that is orchestrating all of that and doing all the driving. | "We've created a treadmill, it's usually the mother that is orchestrating all of that and doing all the driving. |
| "We worship this feminine motherhood thing and I don't think our children have benefited actually. They're babied a lot." | "We worship this feminine motherhood thing and I don't think our children have benefited actually. They're babied a lot." |
| 'Difficult stuff' | 'Difficult stuff' |
| The mother of three, who took a seven-year break from her career in management consulting to look after her young children, explained that mothers often became part of the problem because their own work-life balance struggled when starting a family. | The mother of three, who took a seven-year break from her career in management consulting to look after her young children, explained that mothers often became part of the problem because their own work-life balance struggled when starting a family. |
| "A lot of it is women who, because it is difficult to get on, subjugate their own ambition into their kids," she said. | "A lot of it is women who, because it is difficult to get on, subjugate their own ambition into their kids," she said. |
| "That makes it harder when they get to university and realise they haven't got a mother to help them with their homework, watching their every move. We've all done it." | "That makes it harder when they get to university and realise they haven't got a mother to help them with their homework, watching their every move. We've all done it." |
| She added: "Now, I just can't, so I don't, and I think they're probably better off as a result." | She added: "Now, I just can't, so I don't, and I think they're probably better off as a result." |
| At the same time, Mrs Perry warned children were not being taught about the real dangers in life, especially the internet - which parents did not fully understand. | At the same time, Mrs Perry warned children were not being taught about the real dangers in life, especially the internet - which parents did not fully understand. |
| She said: "Good parenting isn't just about making sure they come top in maths, but all the difficult stuff too. If they don't learn the limits from us, who will tell them?" | She said: "Good parenting isn't just about making sure they come top in maths, but all the difficult stuff too. If they don't learn the limits from us, who will tell them?" |
| Most parents were too busy or ignorant to realise what their children were doing online. "They are living in a digital oblivion," she said. | Most parents were too busy or ignorant to realise what their children were doing online. "They are living in a digital oblivion," she said. |
| Meanwhile, Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, told BBC News the boundary between parents and children had been "eroded", with parents under "enormous pressure" from schools and society to mould their children and oversee their achievements. | Meanwhile, Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, told BBC News the boundary between parents and children had been "eroded", with parents under "enormous pressure" from schools and society to mould their children and oversee their achievements. |
| "This then means parents become extremely wary of encouraging their children to explore the outside world on their own. They find it difficult to let go and this cultivates a sense of dependency." | "This then means parents become extremely wary of encouraging their children to explore the outside world on their own. They find it difficult to let go and this cultivates a sense of dependency." |
| He added universities often had to adjust for incoming students "lacking a sense of maturity and the aspiration to make it on their own". | He added universities often had to adjust for incoming students "lacking a sense of maturity and the aspiration to make it on their own". |
| "First year lecturers are forced to act as teachers - helping pupils along," he said. | "First year lecturers are forced to act as teachers - helping pupils along," he said. |