Modern technological advances have brought hitherto undreamed of possibilities for young people today. From Facebook to i-Pods to i-Phones, the world is your oyster today. But are we deluding ourselves? Have we introduced our youngsters to dangers that many of us don't even realise yet alone understand?
In post-war Britain, children had a ready-made structured society where there were definite limits and guidelines to their well-ordered lives. Whether they liked it or not, society was geared so that everyone recognised those who were in positions of authority: those such as policemen and teachers whom you looked up to as sources of respect and information.
But then came the advent of the cyber-age, one-parent families and working mothers, robbing many children of support and parents to look up to, with the result that they now turn to celebrities as role models.
Too often young people are left to spend hours every day in front of computer and television screens, where they fall prey to aggressive marketing and are turned into consumers. The commercialisation of childhood is feared to be behind rising levels of depression and anxiety among teenagers, as they try to get the latest gadgets, wear make-up at increasingly early ages and try to lose weight or work out in order to look like models or pop stars.
That is one of the conclusions of a new wide-ranging survey into British childhood, produced for the Children's Society. The report also highlights the importance of male role models to the well-being of children, and claims that those who have good relationships with their fathers are far less likely to develop behavioural problems.
Above all, the report highlights how children should be encouraged to value themselves for who they are as people rather than what they own. There is no doubt that excessive exposure to technology makes a child materialistic, which in turn affects their relationship with their parents and their mental health.
The report says that children are part of a new form of consumerism, with under 16 year-olds spending £3 billion of their own money each year on clothes, snacks, music, video games and magazines. The report claims that some advertisers "explicitly exploit the mechanism of peer pressure, while painting parents as buffoons" and that in its most extreme form, advertising persuades children that "you are what you own".
In addition the "constant exposure" to celebrities through, TV soaps, dramas and chat shows is having a detrimental effect.
It says: "Children today know in intimate detail the lives of celebrities who are richer than they will ever be, and mostly better-looking. This exposure inevitably raises aspirations and reduces self-esteem."
It adds that the way celebrities are portrayed "automatically encourages the excessive pursuit of wealth and beauty." This "media-driven consumerism" is having a negative effect on a child's wellbeing, the report says.
It highlights a study into the effect of consumerism on the psychological wellbeing of 10-13 year-olds. That study found: "Other things being equal, the more a child is exposed to the media (television and Internet), the more materialistic she becomes, the worse she relates to her parents and the worse her mental health."
The Good Childhood inquiry, compiled by more than 35,000 contributors is independent of the Church of England affiliated society but has been endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams. It takes an in-depth look at the changing face of childhood and family life in Britain, and the challenges facing youngsters today.
The report has found that only a quarter of children with mental health problems get any specialist help, and one in 10 five to 16-year-olds now have mental health issues, ranging from anxiety or depression to conduct disorders such as destructive behaviour.
It claims that the upward trend of violence in the media in general is making children violent and causing tension within the family.
The report says: "We know from controlled studies that exposure to violence can breed violence.
"So it seems likely that the upward trend in media violence is helping to produce the upward trend in violent behaviour - and also the growth of psychological conflict in family relationships." The report also notes that commercial pressures have led to the "premature sexualisation" of young people.
