A recent Australian Bureau of Standards report reports that suicide was the leading cause of death among young Australians in 2012.

“This fact, that young Australians are more likely to kill themselves than die in a car accident is an indictment on contemporary society and a wake-up call for adults responsible about the care and well being of children.”

Read the full article here

It is a dilemma that all parents face – wanting their children to grow up strong, confident and independent, but also wanting to keep them safe from harm. Many parents are reluctant to let their children take part in activities they themselves enjoyed and most children now spend less than three hours a week playing outdoors and getting dirty.

And this decline is affecting children’s ability to cope with life’s ups and downs

“Cotton-wool kids” are denied the chance to learn the independence, to understand the risk taking, and to make the mistakes that are associated with growing up. All of which build confidence and resilience by learning how to overcome failure and to deal with fear, uncertainty and all of life’s myriad challenges.