An impertinent question on the NACT search for low hanging fruit.
While bringing up my three wonderful children we had:
- no TV.
- no playstation.
- limited screen time to 30 minutes a day (which was hardly ever used).
- no cell-phones (I did not even have one until Feb 2024).
- read a massive amount of books.
- the two boys and a girl were/are high quality academics, all were active in sports (including one becoming a Queen’s Guide – awarded by Jerry Mateparae).
- My – then wife – and I prioritised experiences for our family above aquiring assets.
- We made all of these decisions with minimal government interferance or assistance (i.e. none).
One of the big, apparant, positives for National/ACT is being free from the “nanny state”. I have no doubt that children and young people are threatened and negatively impacted by social-media. But – the priority should be empoweing parents through information … not trying to implement an external ban (that will be unworkable).
Alwyn Poole
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