Friday was Children’s Day and insightful people recognize that children are the future leaders of our nation. The declining quality and quantity of children are cause of concern. Are people aware of the state of today’s children?
The Child Welfare League Foundation’s (兒福聯盟) annual survey on children’s leisure and entertainment showed that 79 percent of elementary-school students and 83 percent of middle-school students kids spend most of their leisure time immersed in online worlds. That means prolonged sitting, which leads to less in physical activity — a drop from nearly 60 percent of students in elementary school to just 48 percent in middle school.
The WHO recommends that children and adolescents do “at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity, across the week” — however, fewer than 20 percent of Taiwanese children meet that standard.
Keeping your eyes glued to your phone has countless disadvantages, such as nearsightedness and prolonged cervical flexion, or forward head posture. Exercise, on the other hand, has numerous benefits, promoting the healthy growth of the muscular and the skeletal systems. Lack of exercise can lead to developmental delays and issues with motor coordination, attention span and brain development, which could also negatively impact self-esteem.
The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and others should work together to bring children outdoors by implementing measures such as establishing more recreational sports locations with less air pollution. In the past, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government issued “sports stimulus vouchers” (動滋券). Perhaps in the future, it could issue “family sports vouchers.”
A team from the National Taiwan University (NTU) Children and Family Research Center on Wednesday published the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Family Database: Taiwanese Family and Youth Rights Index 2024 Comparison Report, which said that the suicide rate for young Taiwanese has increased from 4.5 per 100,000 people in 2021 to 7 per 100,000 people in 2023. The report also said that with the rise of social media, descriptions of self-harm spread more easily among peers.
Celebrities also have a stronger impact on the youth. The Taiwanese Society of Suicidology said that the top three causes of suicide among adolescents are depression, relationship issues and family problems — which account for 41 percent, 30 percent and 21 percent respectively.
Adolescence — a show about a 13-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of a horrifying crime — recently gained popularity, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking about it in parliament and backing a Netflix initiative to stream the series for free in schools. Psychologists say adolescence is a time when people seek validation from others, so the way peers perceive us strongly affects our sense of self-worth.
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is a famous US tourist spot and a suicide hotspot. Authorities have started the installation of a net as a deterrent, which has already decreased the suicide rate at the bridge by more than 50 percent. Psychologists say suicide is often a split-second, impulsive decision. Installing such barriers provides a buffer, allowing individuals a moment to reconsider.
As our environment becomes increasingly complex, adults must put more effort in guiding children toward physical and mental well-being.
Lin Ji-shing is a university professor.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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