Do we live in a "nanny" state???

Question

I hear and read stories about the way things are at the moment:
"Can't let kids compete in sports days, because it will upset the losers"
"You can't have kids playing conkers, because they might hurt themselves"

Whatever happened to the fun in life???

Answer 1

Only if you let it be a nanny state

Answer 2

Oh yes we have become a nanny state. The goverment have taken over from the time you get pregnant, till your child leaves home. Bringing up a child is all about common sense, and using it. I understand there are a few parents who need parenting skills, but not all of us need to be told what we can eat, when we need to sleep, what we need to watch and what we need to do, every second of the day. I have brought seven children into this world, and i am sure i gave birth to them not the goverment. I wean, potty train, and disaplin when i feel the time is right. If i dont think i should send a child to nursery, there is no force on earth is gonna make me. If i feel my child needs a time out, i make sure they get one, and i dont care where we are. But if i left it to the goverments rules, i would have a bunch off unruly children, who know they can get out of every thing because the goverment says it is illegal to do almost anything with your child. Sometimes the old ways are the best, although i dont hold with the saying'Children must be seen and not heard', every child has a voice in our home, and i may not like what they say, there again they might not like what i say, i do hold with "spare the rod, and spoil the child", and that does not mean i beat my children, it means that dissapline can mean many forms off punnishment. Smacking is not always the answer, but there is a big difference between a smack and child abuse. And how can a child ever learn to do better if the attitude they get from school is they are no worse than the children around them. Why do you think we no longer have the best sports teams in the world, if our children dont have to try harder, because accasionally they feel like they lost at some thing, how will they learn to handle dissapointment if they never feel it. Life is all about scraped knees, falling over and picking yourself back up, parents need to take back their power, and start to make choises for themselves. My healthvisitor, came for the last time this week, and we came to the conclusion there is not alot she can do for us. She said if i needed her i knew where to find her, she is a lovely woman, but my first port of call will always be my family, my mother, and my husband and my sisters. It would have to be some thing major for me to go to the health visitor. My advice is, start listening to yourself and your children, stop listening to the goverment, do they live with you 27/7.

Answer 3

I do not understand this type of mentality, why is the government looking to empower individuals to assess their own safety and make intelligent, insightfull choices.

As for things like sports days, surely the smart thing would be to tackle the issues that affect those of us less able at sport rather than preventing sports days?

It all feels like nanny-style bandaid approaches to issues rather than doing the more challenging, and potentially much more effective, thing of actually tackling the issues head-on.

Answer 4

Only if you believe the Sun.

The Government doesn;t stop these things, its the Compensation-Blame culture we took from the Americans. Schools have to defend themselves against stupid claims that would almost definatly occure if accidents happened. The Government has nothign to do with this.

Please, take a Politics A Level, open your mind abit

Answer 5

It's Political Correctness gone mad. When I was at school we were told who was top or bottom of the class in each subject. It didn't give us any weird complexes. I feel sorry for children these days. They have everything, yet they have nothing when you think about it. They have every electronic gadget and game, but they can't play in the park or in the street as we used to.

Answer 6

It's all a load of C**p!
Let the kids eat dirt/ put worms up their noses it/ hit each other with conkers- it never hurt anyone before!

Answer 7

You would think that. Parents UNITE. Don't let your children turn into couch potatoes! Throw them outside and let them play like kids. Let them play organized sports so they can learn competition and be prepared for the real world. Broken bones mend.

Answer 8

yes ,way over the top,what happens to the people when a nanny state decides not to care anymore.

Answer 9

there is no fun in being a kid anymore. i remember making dens and treehouses when i was a kid. this country is a total nanny state. my mates son couldnt take his marbles into school incase the teachers slipped on them in the playground! how stupid is that?

Answer 10

We used to have a ball at school playing british bulldog .How I got my old knickname" Rhino". Most schools and parents are worried about the legal actions maybe .Teachers aren't what they used to be either ..