IKEA Play Report 2015: An Indian Perspective

1. What is IKEA Play Report? Swedish furniture giant IKEA recently published the world’s largest research study on play. They interviewed 30,000 parents and children in 12 countries (including UK, the USA, China, Russia, Brazil, India, and France) to produce a comprehensive 56-page report. This is a follow up report to the first report which was done in 2009.

2. Meaning of Play.    Play can have many meanings and many definitions. Psychologist Dr Elizabeth Hurlock summed it up well nearly sixty years ago, describing play as “Any activity engaged in for the enjoyment it gives, without consideration of the end result. It is entered into voluntarily and is lacking in external force or compulsion”.

3. Play and Emotions.  Play has an important role in children’s lives, as a way to escape difficult emotions. Piaget (1962) wrote:“We can be sure that all happenings, pleasant or unpleasant, in the child’s life, will have repercussions on its dolls.”

4. Importance of Play. As per the IKEA Report globally, 9 out of ten parents agree that play essential to both a child’s development and a child’s wellbeing and happiness. And you’re never too old: only 6% of children think they are ‘too old to play’, while 53% of parents would like to find their inner child and become playmates with their children.

5. Issue Analyzed.  The issues analyzed both globally and in India in the report are:-

(a) Parents. Whether parents are playing less or more with their children?

(b) Children. Whether Children are playing less or more and nature of this play?

(c) Family Activities. What are the main family activities that take place at home?

 

 6. Parents. Whether parents are playing less or more with their children?

(a) Time Poor Parents. Parents who agree, “I feel I don’t have enough time to play with my children”. The highest number of parents feels they don’t have time to play with their children is in India. India: 60%; China: 57%; US: 51%; Italy: 51%; South Korea:42%; Netherlands: 33%

(b) Stressed to Enjoy Playing. Parents who agree: “When I play with my children, I am often too stressed to enjoy it”.India: 49%; China: 31%; US: 26%; South Korea: 27%; Netherlands: 16%

(c) Time Spend by Parents with Children.

(i) Weekdays. Indian parents spend an above average 5.3 hours, second highest after Italy and Spain, at 5.9 hours, with their children on weekdays.

(ii) Weekends. On weekends however, the number dips to 8.3 hours, below the global average of 9.4 hours.

(d) Thrust On Education. The pressure of education is high among Indian Parents (87%), second to China and France (both at 88%).

(e) Education as Playtime. Parents who believe playtime should be educational.Russia: 87%; China: 85%; India: 82%: US: 55%; Sweden: 31%; Netherlands: 29%.

(f) Packed Schedule. Indian parents feel that they have packed in too many activities for children little play time at home. India: 66%; China: 27%; France: 17%; Sweden: 12%.

(g) Anxious Parents.  Indian Parents are most Anxious about their children safety. India: 75%; USA: 62%; China: 53%; South Korea: 25%; Netherlands: 24%

 

 7. Children. Whether Children are playing less or more and nature of this play? Has the nature of play changed amongst children? Are the mounting concerns about the amount of time spend on digital devices leading to lack of play opportunities?

(a) TV . Indian children are the biggest TV watchers. 72% of 7-12 year olds, 80% of 13-18 year olds watch TV. This is the highest in the world for both the age groups. 7-12 year olds who prefer watching TV to playing with friends. India: 35%; South Korea: 25%; Netherlands: 20%; Russia: 20%; Italy: 11%.

(b) The Virtual Family. Is the virtual world shaping family ties in the real world? It would seem so, with Indian families leading the pack of 12 countries surveyed. It is particularly so among younger Indian parents (between 19 and 34) at 67% and richer parents (top one third of households by income) at 71%. Parents who agree that, “sometime in my family everyone is using their mobile devices and not talking to each other”.  India 59%; Italy; 34%; Netherlands: 25%; Russia: 15%; South Korea: 15%

(c) Media. Indian family’s usage of social media is among the highest in the world. 27% of 13-18 year olds are using it to communicate within the family, as against the global average of 15%.

(d) Gadgets as Toys. 60% of Indian parents agree ‘play can include using tablets, smartphones or computers’, among the highest in the world – the global average is 52%.

(e) Friends vs Internet and TV. 8 out 10 children would prefer to play with their friends than watch TV (19%) or use the internet (17%).

(f) Internet isn’t Evil. Wonderful tool for learning, most of the parents agree. However, a third of parents find it difficult to know how much time their child should spend on the internet.

(g) Communication With Different Context. The study demonstrates that children are communicating in the way they always have, with their families, with their friends, but they are doing so in a different context. Digital activity does not only involve play, creativity and communication through a wide variety of imaginative and challenging applications, but it can enhance children’s ability to express themselves, act out difficulties emotions and feel empowered by finding out information for themselves.

(h) Games Online and Play. Children are playing a wide variety of games online, often involving collecting, changing and adapting scenarios to suit what they want to do, and communicating with friends and family.

(i) Digital Activities are Shared Activities. Play has been replaced with a preoccupation with digital? Parents, teachers and child experts express alarm at the amount of time children are spending online, and certainly there is evidence to show that obsessive use of digital is unhealthy for children both physically and mentally. But digital can also be a shared activity. The Play Report found that 95% of UK parents report regularly using media devices as a family, and around half (52%) of parents agree ‘play can include using Tablets, smartphones or computers’. Importantly, 85% (Index: 71%) of UK parents think that home should be a place for fun and play. Increasingly it seems parents and children themselves are setting boundaries. 72% of parents and 43% of children and young people agree: ‘I think there should be times at home when we don’t use our mobile devices’.

 

 8. Family Activities.  What are the main Family activities that take place at home.

(a) Activities of Family at Home. The activities that keep the family busy at home , Watching TV, Eating together at the table as a family, Face-to-face conversation, Games on a PC or Laptop, Board games or cards.

(b) Meal time – Family time. 69% of Indian parents say they have meals together as against 88% in Italy and Sweden and 72% in South Korea. India alongside Russia are the lowest in the world.

(c) Face to Face Communication and Play Away from Digital Devices. Digital has changed play, it can lead to creative and imaginative worlds being enacted online and it frequently includes communicating in this way with friends and family. But both children and parents are recognizing the importance of face to face communication and play away from digital devices, and the need to ensure play is “entered into voluntarily and is lacking in external force or compulsion”. This is essential for the well being of children and family life.

 

Link. IKEA Play Report 2015

by Rupa Chauhan

 

Nature and Nurture in Child Development

Concept of Nature

Both nature (genes) and nurture (environmental factors) play a vital and important role in human development. Nature can be loosely defined as genetic inheritance or the genetic makeup (the information encoded in your genes) which a person inherits from both parents at the time of conception and carries throughout life. Several things in an individual are genetically inherited, ranging from gender, eye colour, risks for certain diseases and exceptional talents to height. The concept of nature thus refers to biologically inherited tendencies and abilities that people have and which may get revealed later on as they grow up.

Dimension of Nuture

In contrast, nurture can be defined as the different environmental factors to which a person is subjected from birth to death. Environmental factors involve many dimensions. They include both physical environments (a good example is prenatal nutrition) and social environments (such as the neighbourhood, media and peer pressure.) Also, environmental factors have different levels of impact on human development as they involve multiple layers of action, ranging from most immediate (families, friends, and neighbourhoods) to bigger societal contexts (school systems and local governments) as well as macro factors such as politics on the international level or say global warming. These layers are also impacted by other factors outside them. For example, teenagers are exposed to not just peer pressure from their peers but also to parental ideals, community standards or ethnic views.

Interplay between Nature and Nuture

It is important to acknowledge that nature is inseparable from nurture and that both nature and nurture are sources of human potential and growth as well as risk of dysfunction and problematic behaviour. It would be easy to say that the starting points with which a child is born can be positively moulded and shaped by the quality of the environment, its emotional, social, physical and cognitive interaction with the child, and the child’s interaction with it. However, some brains are more easily triggered than others and may thus be more vulnerable to experiences they have. That is why attachment and how parents/caregivers respond to the child play such an essential part in building firm and positive foundations for the child’s success in life. That is also why early experiences of family violence, abuse, poverty or mental health are of such concern, and why early interventions programmes are so important in promoting and supporting the best outcomes for children where children’s starting points may not have been great. One answer to providing more effectively for children could be a much more self-critical, reflective and differentiated pedagogy developed through meaningful observations, noticing and recognising what is important and significant to the child and about the child, and responding in a supportive way. This kind of a good match between individual child’s genes and the environmental context in which they develop would mean a good early start. More importantly, where hereditary vulnerabilities and complex behaviours are observed, it may at least increase their chances of more positive pathways in life.

By :- Rupa Chauhan

Mental Health and Disorders in Children

Mental Health and Children 

Children's Mental health is without a doubt the most important aspect of any child's social and cognitive development. 

Children Children need to have a good mental health status if they are going to live up to their full potential and truly live a life that is filled with positive experiences and the willingness to do what is best for themselves and the people around them. 

 Factors Impacting Child's Mental Health 

There are a myriad of factors that can impact a child's mental health status, both positively and negatively. Providing children with an environment that demonstrates love, compassion, trust, and understanding will greatly impact a child so that they can build on these stepping stones to have a productive lifestyle. Many children do not receive that type of lifestyle though. Some children have to deal with a childhood that is filled with anger, resentment, hatred, distrust, and constant negativity. They have a difficult time coping with their emotions. These children will usually make excellent candidates for mental health programs. It is a difficult process for any person, let alone a child, to overcome such adversity but being proactive and doing all that you can for the child will at least help their mental health in some positive fashion. 

Some children may also be born with mental health issues. These issues are a product of nature rather than nurture so the child may have a more difficult time dealing with his or her emotional state. Many children just naturally feel depressed or have anxiety issues. When these issues are not dealt with in the proper fashion, the children tend to have lower self-esteem and they struggle in the educational environment.

Children with mental health issues will have a difficult time adjusting to different situations. Studies have shown that these children, if left untreated by a mental health professional, will likely to grow up and repeat these same behaviours with their children. These children tend to have a lower self-worth, negative feelings, perform poorly in school, and later become involved in unhealthy lifestyle decisions. However, when these children are properly treated they can learn how to live a more promising life. They can overcome many of the issues that affect them without their consent. These children can live happy and productive lives that are filled with love, harmony, and a great mental health status.­

During a child's developmental years, they are constantly growing and changing. It is imperative to note that one must keep this in mind when diagnosing and treating emotional and behavioural disorders in children.

Mental Dirsorder in Children

If a problem is not temporary or short-lived, then should parents seek out a trained and qualified professional to help their children. Health professionals once thought that brain disorders such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or even depression occurred after childhood but now, it is widely held that these brain disorders can begin in early childhood. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), emotional and behavioural disorders affect 10-15 percent of children globally. One of particular childhood-onset mental disorder that is widely studied, treated, and diagnosed is ADHD, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and the NIMH cites that 3-5 percent of children globally suffer from this disorder.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This disorder is one of the most common mental disorders among children, and two to three more boys than girls are affected. Many children are unable to sit still, finish tasks, plan ahead, or even be aware what is going on around them. Some days, children with ADHD seem fine and the next could be a whirlwind of frenzied and disorganized activity. ADHD can continue on into adolescence and even adulthood, however, within the past decade scientists have learned more about it and how to treat it. From medications, to therapy, and varying educational options, children with ADHD can learn to function in new ways.

Autism

 Children with autism appear to be remote, indifferent, isolated in their own world, and are unable to form emotional connections with other people. Autism is a found in every region of the country, it is more common in boys than girls, and affects about 1 or 2 people in every thousand. This brain disorder can manifest itself in mental retardation, language delays, and other children are very high-functioning with intelligence and speech intact because their brains do not function in the same way other children's do.  Consistency is the key when dealing with an autistic child.

Bi-polar Disorder

 Bi-polar disorder generally begins during early childhood and continues into adulthood. It is characterized by intense mood swings. For example, a child may have excessive "high" or euphoric feelings, then suddenly, sadness depression. This is thought to be a genetic illness and diagnosis for children under 12 is generally not common and is often misdiagnosed as ADHD.

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders often cause children to feel distressed, uneasy, even frightened for no apparent reason. Some common anxiety disorders are panic disorders characterized by episodes of intense fear that occur without warning or provocation. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, which are compulsive, repeated behaviours or thoughts that seem like they are impossible to stop.­

Management of Mental Health and Disorder in Children

 Mental health is important to overall health. Mental disorders are chronic health conditions that can continue through the lifespan. Without early diagnosis and treatment, children with mental disorders can have problems at home, in school, and in forming friendships. This can also interfere with their healthy development, and these problems can continue into adulthood.

 Childhood mental disorders can be treated and managed. There are many evidence-based treatment options, so parents and doctors should work closely with everyone involved in the child's treatment — teachers, coaches, therapists, and other family members. Taking advantage of all the resources available will help parents, health professionals and educators guide the child towards success. Early diagnosis and appropriate services for children and their families can make a difference in the lives of children with mental disorders.

Conclusion

 Mental health — an essential part of children's overall health — has a complex interactive relationship with their physical health and their ability to succeed in school, at work and in society. Both physical and mental health affect how we think, feel and act on the inside and outside.  

 All children and youth have the right to happy and healthy lives and deserve access to effective care to prevent or treat any mental health problems that they may develop.

Psychosocial Development in Infancy and Early Childhood

It takes a lot of patience combined with good judgment and warm, nurturing relationships to raise emotionally healthy children. But no matter what we do, children are going to feel sad, afraid, anxious, and angry from time to time. Challenge is to learn how to help children cope with their feelings and express them in socially acceptable ways that don’t harm others and are appropriate to the child’s age and abilities.

What is Psychosocial Development?

Childhood psychosocial development is a multistep process in which children learns to trust others, communicate their needs and develop distinct identities. Renowned psychologist Erik Erikson (1902-1904) developed an eight-stage model of human development that is widely accepted among educators and mental health professionals. Five of Erikson’s stages of development take place during childhood. Under Erikson’s model, if the child does not progress through one stage successfully, she will have difficulty with the next phase.

Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality. Similar to Freud, Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of stages. Unlike Freud’s theory to psychosexual stages, Erikson’s theory describe the impact of social experience across the whole lifespan.

One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity. Ego identity is the conscious sense of self that we develop through social interaction. According to Erikson, our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experience and information we acquire in our daily interactions with others. In addition to ego identity, Erikson also believed that a sense of competence also motivates behaviors’ and actions. Each stage in Erikson’s theory is concerned with becoming competent in an area of life. If the stage is handled well, the person will feel a sense of mastery. If the stage is managed poorly, the person will emerge with a sense of inadequacy.

In each stage, Erikson’s believed people experience a conflict that service as a turning point in development. In Erikson’s view, these conflicts are centered on either developing a psychosocial quality or failing to develop that quality. During these times, the potential for personal growth is high, but so is the potential for failure.

Psychosocial Stage 1 – Trust vs. Mistrust

·          The first stage of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development occurs between birth and one year of age and is the most fundamental stage in life.

·    Because an infant is utterly dependent, the development of trust is based on the dependability and quality of the child’s caregivers.

·           If a child successfully develops trust, he or she will feel safe and secure in the world.

·      Caregivers who are inconsistent, emotionally unavailable, or rejecting contribute to feelings of mistrust in the children they care for. Failure to develop trust will result in fear and a belief that the world is inconsistent and unpredictable.

     ·           During the trust vs. Mistrust stage, an infant learns whether he can trust a caregiver to meet his needs. If you are present for your child and respond to his need for security, safety and nutrition, then he will likely develop a trusting relationship.

Psychosocial Stage 2 – Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt

·       The second stage of Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development lasts from ages 1 to 3 years. This stage is focused on children developing a greater sense of personal control.

·  The control of one’s body functions leads to a feeling of control and a sense of independence and toilet training is a vital part of this process. Other important events include gaining more control over food choices, toy preferences, and clothing selection.

·     Children who successfully complete this stage feel secure and confident, while those who do not are left with a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt.

·  During the Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt stage your child begins to separate from you and begins to assert some autonomy by learning to walk, make simple choices and interact with the world on his own. If you give your child room to grow and are not overly critical, he will develop a healthy sense of autonomy and self-esteem.

Psychological Stage – 3 Initiative vs Guilt

·       During the preschool years(lasts from 3 to 6 years), children begin to assert their power and control over the world though directing play and other social interactions.

·       Children who are successful at this stage feel capable and able to lead others. Those who fail to acquire these skills are left with a sense of guilt, self-doubt, and lack of initiative.

·       During the Initiative vs Guilt Stage, children begin to show initiatives by engaging in creative play and further assert their independence from their parents. If a parent stifles their child’s decision-making skills and creativity during this period, the child might develop feelings of guilt and have an inhibited sense of autonomy according to Erikson’s theories. However, by encouraging your child to think creatively and independently, she can develop a strong sense of personal initiative.

Psychological Stage – 4 Industry vs. Inferiority

·       This stage covers the early school years from approximately age 5 to 11 or onset of puberty.

·       Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishment and abilities.

·       During the Industry vs Inferiority Stage, children who are encouraged and commended by parents and teachers develop a feeling of competence and belief in their skills. Whereas children who receive little or no encouragement from parent, teachers, or peers will doubt their ability to be successful. 

·

Stage	Basis Conflict	Important	Outcome
Infancy (birth to 18 months)	Trust vs. Mistrust	Feeding	Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide reliability, care and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust.
Early Childhood (2 to 3 years)	Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt	Toilet Training	Children need to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. Success leads to feelings of autonomy, failure results in feelings of shame and doubt.
Preschool (3 to 5 years)	Initiative vs. Guilt	Exploration	Children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment. Success in this stage leads to a sense of purpose. Children who try to exert too much power experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt.
School Age (6 to 11 years)	Industry vs. Inferiority	School	Children need to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of inferiority.

Take Always For Parents’

Encouraging Independence  Encouraging independence in toddlers, while maintaining limits necessary to safety and positive behavior, is a difficult task to balance. Toddlers need choices in order to feel confident and independent, but these choices should be limited. Instead of asking what your toddler wants for lunch; ask where he would like to have his lunch. Instead of asking if he’d like to get dressed, ask him which shirt he’s like to wear. This limited questioning, where the choice is not open to a negative response such as “No, I don’t want to get dressed,” prevents confrontation and power struggles. Providing the opportunity for choice makes a toddler expect to choose for himself, which helps him develop autonomy. However, parents must also say NO occasionally. Toddlers need independence, but they must also learn that sometimes they can’t have what they want, and they must manage this disappointment.

Choices and Limits     We must remember that this drive toward independence and self-assertion is an important stage of emotional development of the Child. By allowing children to make their own choices and decisions and be responsible for their own outcomes, we are setting the framework for strong, emotionally healthy lives. Learning how to cope with disappointments and delays is also a critical part of the development of a healthy, balanced Child.

Benchmarks of Emotional Health On Daily Basis

            Firstly, is the child able to separate from her family without undue stress and form an attachment with at least one other adult at school?

            Secondly, is the child learning to conform to routines at school without undue fuss?

            Thirdly, is the child able to involve herself deeply in play? Play is not only the work of children, it’s the greatest health promoter and vehicle for learning that’s available to them.

            Fourthly, can the child settle down and concentrate? Being able to focus attention on something that interests a youngster is an indicator that he is capable of learning.

            Finally, does the child have access to the full range of her feelings and is she learning to deal with them in an age-appropriate way? This is one of the most important indicators of emotional health because then the child is aware of all her feelings and can express them without harming herself or others.

            When children seem to have emotional difficulties, we need to remember we don’t have to solve every emotional problem by ourselves. We need to talk to family, colleagues or to professional counselors.

By :- Rupa Chauhan