As an OHS person I couldn't agree more that we are wrapping our children up in too much cotton wool. Without learning at an early age how to assess risk for ourselves we have no chance of doing so when presented with real risky situations later on. Children need to learn the consequences of actions within a reasonably safe and supervised environment - however taking away every possible danger just removes the vital experience. Also children, boys in particular, crave the sense of danger and freedom to explore and need to learn limits through their mistakes.

I have noticed in the workplace too, the tendency to assume that someone else is always responsible for health and safety and that no-one seems capable of taking any initiative themselves. Probably as a result of being molly-coddled as children. Keeps me in a job though.

It was the big slippery dips that they removed and the sea-saws that used to actually go up and down. If there are still parks with them then take a photo because they wont last long.

Sometimes I wonder the logic that is used as when you go to the new parks they have these climbing apparatus that is like so high up, double or more of what any slippery slide could have ever been. It doesn't make sense to me. How can climbing higher be less dangerous?

My children's perspective is that too many adults are so busy socialising and gossiping that they dont care about the kids.

If kids are not shown how to deal with confrontation, bullying, and issues by the adults and are left to fend for themselves then the strongest and more ruthless will invariably win.

My kids biggest complaint in pre-school was that teachers were so busy talking that they didn't have time to properly do their job and would get annoyed if any of the kids came seeking protection or help.

What the author failed to mention,is that in today's world it is impossible be a clumsy child or break your bones without being fully investigated by ideological soldiers of madness(social workers).

Only recently I was talking to a nurse while in hospital about the injuries I got as a child due to my activities and a problem with my legs. As she told me, if I was a child today, my parents would have been charged for it. Such is the sadness of today where children can't even fall over for somehow, it's unnatural and must be the actions of an abusive parent.

I've been fortunate in that I've been able to make a few mistakes and haven't always been given what I wanted right away. Of course, it's only hindsight which makes that realisation a positive one.

Growing up I knew a few overprotected kids. They were all socially awkward, and never played much by way of sport. They also seemed a little unhealthier than their more rambunctious peers.

I wouldn't have traded my childhood of mucking through swamps, frequently digging among sharp rocks at the beach, climbing the highest trees (and sometimes falling off them), running recklessly on grass, stones and concrete, and playing in the cold wet rain (yet miraculously avoiding pneumonia).

These are important lessons. I pity the child (and their parent) that shuns a world of risks for one of safety.

Parents. Boot your child out the door into the sunlight. It's the best thing you can do for them.

Well, since Daniel's article was published, a 5 year old boy was sexually abused in the toilets at the Australian Open (while Mum was "waiting outside" - what the hell is wrong with taking him into the female toilets with you, woman?), a 7 year old was sexually abused in her bed at a caravan park, and two brothers, aged only 3 and 4, were found dead in the boot of the family car (why weren't the parents watching them?). And I'm sure there were countless other, similar, examples. Sexual abuse by strangers when the parents are comparatively close by happens a lot more often than we'd like to admit (well, more often than Daniel and his followers would like to admit).

Sounds like Daniel's message is reaching these people - these kids certainly weren't wrapped in cotton wool.

Open your eyes, people - our children are certainly not wrapped in cotton wool, but our minds are. Violence against children in all its forms and quantities is still happening, and we must continue to do as much as we can (which includes the legislation introduced over the past 25 years or so) to ensure that it stops.

Hands up those here who would like to risk their children getting stuck in the boot of their car?

...

Didn't think so.

Petal, "And I'm sure there were countless other, similar, examples" - I doubt that very much. Most of the kids harmed during the period since the article was written were harmed by someone close to them, a parent, a step-parent, a carer, a sibling and a small number were harmed by a stranger. Kids are by far most at risk of harm from people known to them.

I'll keep some sensible boundaries around my son which try to maintain a balance between risk and his developmental needs. I'll not let the small chance of external harm completely overwhelm the certain harm from not being allowed to develop and neither should any parent.

Mostly I'll continue to teach him to make good choices himself, I'll talk to him about boundaries for other people, I'll try and ensure that if something odd does happen that he knows he can talk to me about it.

Parenting is rarely a sure thing other than the certainty of harm done by not letting our kids develop.

R0bert