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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. |
| Conservative MP Claire Perry criticised parents for filling children's lives with too many organised activities, in an interview with href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/health/child-health/article3703954.ece" >the Times. | |
| 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. |
| Campaigners said politicians should stop "telling us how to be better parents" and focus on childcare policy. | |
| Mrs Perry, who is the PM's adviser on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood, said 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," she said. | "We've created a treadmill, it's usually the mother that is orchestrating all of that and doing all the driving," she said. |
| "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 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 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?" |
| Mrs Perry said most parents were too busy or ignorant to realise what their children were doing online. | Mrs Perry 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. | "They are living in a digital oblivion," she said. |
| 'Enormous pressure' | 'Enormous pressure' |
| However, campaigners hit back at criticism from politicians, insisting parents were "doing their best" and were "knackered most of the time". | However, campaigners hit back at criticism from politicians, insisting parents were "doing their best" and were "knackered most of the time". |
| Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts told BBC News: "Mothers are, sadly, used to copping a lot of blame - but being charged with being over-protective, cupcake-baking helicopter parents at the same time as being feckless, couch potatoes who let their children have unfettered internet access is a bit rich. | Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts told BBC News: "Mothers are, sadly, used to copping a lot of blame - but being charged with being over-protective, cupcake-baking helicopter parents at the same time as being feckless, couch potatoes who let their children have unfettered internet access is a bit rich. |
| "Of course there are some tiger mum types who are micromanaging packed improvement schedules for their children... but on Mumsnet certainly, they are far outweighed by others who share Clare Perry's view that unstructured time is really important." | "Of course there are some tiger mum types who are micromanaging packed improvement schedules for their children... but on Mumsnet certainly, they are far outweighed by others who share Clare Perry's view that unstructured time is really important." |
| Ms Roberts added: "Politicians could more usefully perhaps focus on improving local schools, job prospects, childcare options and flexible work solutions than telling us how to be better parents." | Ms Roberts added: "Politicians could more usefully perhaps focus on improving local schools, job prospects, childcare options and flexible work solutions than telling us how to be better parents." |
| 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. |
| Mrs Perry became the prime minister's adviser on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood in December 2012. | |
| Proposals put forward by the Devizes MP include age ratings for sexually provocative music videos, restrictions on access to so-called "lads' mags", labelling on airbrushed photos in magazines and internet safety classes in schools. |