Nearly a third of kids can’t use books when starting school – and try to swipe them like phones

It may sound alarmist, but we have absolutely seen a decline in life skills in the past decade and the consequences could be dire.

While there seems to be a change brewing, it will come too late for an alarming number of children.

Bit confused by this. The article doesn’t actually appear to expand on the headlines claim that these kids can’t ‘use a book’.

Like..what does that mean? I’d imagine most pre-school kids can’t read, that’s normal right? The swiping and taping thing? Anecdotal.

As for the find that 1/4 kids occasionally has a toilet based accident in reception class…is that also not to be somewhat expected?

I’m a parent. I know I’m far from perfect, but this article just stinks of slightly alarmist thinking. We could and should be doing better by our children, absolutely…but this article ain’t it.

Puts into perpective the reports of a third of schoolkids classified as SEN.

>In an annual survey of primary school staff by early years charity Kindred Squared, teachers estimated 26% of the children in their reception class this year were having frequent toilet mishaps, rising to more than one in three (36%) in the North East.

I wonder how they’re defining this – accidents are still pretty common at that age, aren’t they? Particularly for when they first start, and it’s a new environment with new people.

It’s an interesting topic to me, because toilet-training is something that we’re *really* struggling with my son at the moment. He’s 4, and will be starting school in September, and we’re of course determined to make sure he’s ready by then; but it feels like every time we take a step forwards, something happens and we reset again.

He’s pretty good with his weeing, but we’re still having far too many poo accidents for my liking – and it’s not helped by the fact that every time we ask him about it, his response is “I didn’t know it was coming”, so it’s difficult to get him to understand that when he feels he needs to go, he actually has to. And I’m riding a very fine line between needing to tell him off because he’s not paying attention to his body, and not scaring him into regressing (because he *really* doesn’t like being told off, and bursts into tears at even a hint of criticism).

>Staff also report around 28% of children started school unable to eat and drink independently.

I’d say that this is actually more of a concern?

That’s not a million miles away from how to use them.

My girlfriend works at a school and she had to cover in nursery and reception and there was a young girl who had picked up an American accent because of how much YouTube content she watches. Madness.

Not shocked.

Parents are lazy as these days. Especially the younger generation instead of reading to kids and helping them the just get left with a phone or tablet and watch brainrot on TikTok or YouTube.

Parents should be fined, heavily I might add if a child cannot do the basics, while some kids will have special needs or other issues that prevent them from doing it the rest can and need an example made of.

People won’t admit that kids aren’t being raised right because everyone won’t admit that they are the failing adult doing it.

The vast majority of people have no parenting skills and the remaining decent parents simply do not have the time to nurture a child into a functional adult. It’s a very small percentage that have the time, money and focus for their children.

That’s due to us having to work like dogs to pay bills. Grandparents used to pick up “the slack” but now we’re at a stage where even Grandparents have to work and can’t help out.

Now we have a whole generation who can’t function without being told what to do or how to behave via tiktok or every emotional outburst or lack of understanding is given an adhd label.

I refuse to believe that children are “trying to swipe books like phones” or whatever sensationalised alarmist bullshit the news is pedaling today. It’s not remotely believable.

I thought it was just over a quarter? Hold on – swipe – yes just over a quarter…

That is really shocking.

My six month old understands that she can turn over a page to see a new picture. And mine is not some genius by the way, that is really typical for her age.

Glad to see the government intent back sure start, now called family hubs where I live. These are seriously needed as some people are just very poor parents and information from these hubs is essential. I went to some of the classes there and the shock from some of the mothers when told they should be brushing their kids teeth and reading to them. To be fair they all started doing it, but genuinely didn’t seem to know?!

I definitely don’t do that with the paper codex books I grew up reading. I also never press on a word to try and get the dictionary. No. Never happens.

Not really a surprise although this is a nothing article to pander to the boomer attatude of kids allways on thier phones. And before people start saying kid shouldn’t be on phones/tablets because there just watching rubbish you might be watching rubbish but there are some really good educational apps out there for preschool children just because you doomscrolling every day doesn’t mean everyone else is

I think the desire to actually be a parent almost seems non-existent these days. It’s like some parents just have kids as a box tick exercise, rather than actually wanting to raise a child