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Headmaster calls time on electronic devices in children’s bedrooms to boost mental health among kids (8 September 2014)

Date: 08/09/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Headmaster calls time on electronic devices in children’s bedrooms to boost mental health among kids

The headmaster of a private school in Highgate, north London is calling for a ban on televisions, computers and smartphones from children’s bedrooms to help improve their mental health.

The Telegraph reports that Adam Pettit – head teacher at Highgate School – would like to see a “five-a-day” rule introduced into children’s lives to limit the amount of time they spend using electronic gadgets and watching TV.

Computers and televisions as well as mobile phones are a large part of children’s lives – and many children watch TV and play computer games or access social media sites in their bedrooms.

However, Mr Pettit says that children need more sleep and more gadget-free spare time to boost their self-esteem and guard against anxiety and depression.

Peer pressure among children can be intense – and social media forums can be a source of bullying, as well as intense competition among users to post updates and images showing how popular they are and how many friends they have.

Mr Pettit says that children and parents are now more aware of how to tackle issues such as obesity and physical wellbeing – but remained “largely ignorant of the building blocks of good mental health”.

Mr Pettit’s five-point plan includes no more than half-an-hour a day on the Internet, a ban on all distractions such as electronic media devices in a child’s bedroom – and an emphasis on the importance of daily exercise to help prevent children becoming hooked on leading a virtual life through electronic devices.

Mr Pettit also recommends that children should do their homework in a communal area at home, rather than in their bedroom – and time limits should be set for each task.

Finally, to make sure children’s minds have “a real break” from schoolwork and social distraction, Mr Pettit recommends that children do some daily recreational reading.

Mr Pettit says that parents also need to give children clear structures in the hours after school, as many children spend too long doing homework and miss out on “down time”.

Highgate School usually limits homework for younger pupils to three 30-minute tasks per night.

The school is to host an inaugural stage mental health conference next weekend, which is being chaired by actress Emma Thompson – who has a child at the school and who has also spoken out about her own battle with depression in the past.

Mr Pettit said:

“It’s great that clinical and educational discussion is turning to some of the symptoms of mental ill-health among the young – self-harm, or worse still, suicide – and holding schools, families and society to account, looking for the reasons, sniffing out the triggers.

“But the debate should also take in the building blocks of good mental health: the ‘five-a-day’ we need to keep healthy in mind, as well as body.

“Strong self-esteem doesn’t come about by chance – some of this is so obvious that it smacks of motherhood and apple pie; but faced with constantly changing paradigms of socialising and family life, we owe it to our children to mug up our mental five-a-day,” he said.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of specialist mental health solicitors – and is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors are available at short-notice to attend police stations and mental health units across England and Wales to advise on mental health law, including access to treatment, initiating treatment reviews and detention under the Mental Health Act.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis may also be able to advise the Nearest Relative (NR) or carer of a mental health patient on a patient’s rights under the Mental Health Act, including access to mental health services.

For expert legal advice on mental health care, contact the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors’ Helpline on 0203 114 1124.

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