Clean Kid Syndrome - Does Your Child Suffer from it?

The learning and development of Australian kids isSo, just how restrictive has outdoor play become
under threat because they're not playingfor Australia's youngest generation? Six in ten
outdoors, engaging in constructive, creative play.(62%) parents claim that as kids they spent
A nationwide Newspoll survey revealed that themore time playing outdoors getting dirty than
average kid is spending at most, just 10 percenttheir own children do now, including three in ten
of their free time playing outdoors at home.who spent more than twice as much time
Alarmingly one in 20 parents (5%) admits whenoutdoors getting dirty as their children.
their kids are at home they NEVER play outdoors.There is a clear need to rethink how children
Instead the majority of Australian kids arespend their free time and how their lives are
spending far more time indoors, watchingorganised. Australian parents are a well-intentioned,
television, playing computer games or playing withanxious, misinformed group. We all care greatly
toys.about our children's futures however in an effort
Years of research shows that constructive play isto give them the best possible start in life we are
an essential part of fostering inquisitive and strongrun the danger of robbing of them of childhood
minds. Playing outdoors is therefore key to normalthat we are trying to protect.
development and lack of exposure to this kind ofFor too long Australian parents have been fed the
experience may put some children at amessage that they need to start their children on
disadvantage.the educational track from an early age. So kids
Getting messy is how they learn, explore andfrom as young as two are routinely shunted
express their creativity. It also helps them to stayaround from one organised activity to another in
healthy by encouraging them to exercise and byan effort to maximise their development.
bolstering their immune system. Importantly it isParents need to be encouraged to buck the 'clean
through play that children learn to explorekid' trend and be less anxious about their kids
The Newspoll study has revealed that the 'cleangetting messy. But where to start?
kid' syndrome is widespread. Two in five kidsLet's start by insisting kids turn off the TV or
(40%) are permitted by their parents to get dirtycomputer and get outside more often. In a back
no more than two or three times per week.to the future move let's introduce some
And, according to the research it's mainly becauseold-fashioned activities such as finger painting,
their parents are concerned about their child'smaking mudpies, leaf stencilling and generally
safety, but also because they're worried aboutmucking all in the name of good clean fun.
cleaning up any mess their kids make.Importantly, parents need to value the simple
Almost all those parents polled (96%) said theyinteractions that they have with children on a daily
wanted their kids to excel at school, in sport andbasis such as cleaning up a spill together or making
socially, yet they're reluctant to let them kids geta bed. From my experience parents
their hands dirty. One in four (23%) youngstersunderestimate the positive impact that these
never get the chance to get messed up indoorsordinary interactions have on children.
either by cooking or doing craft activities.And it would be good for the well-being of both
It is clear also that Australian parentsparents and kids if they spent some time getting
underestimate the benefits of free, unrestricteddown and dirty together. My hunch is that most
play for children as most would prefer theirparents do this anyway but they just don't value
children to do homework than play outside.these messy experiences enough.