Modern childhood...a distant memory?

In the wake of last week's headlines in Halifax and the horrible scenes of the bullying of a Syrian refugee, the whole episode poses many important questions for society, young people and social media.

The footage of a 15-year-old boy raises questions about bullying in schools, but also the consequences of "learnt" intolerant attitudes, amongst children, to refugees and minorities in today's society. I was not only taken by the powerful support for the young victim of this crime but was also aghast at the aggressive and violent narrative directed at the child bully.  

What does this deeply saddening episode say about our attitudes towards children in today's rapidly changing world? 

Is social media killing traditional human values? 

Where does the protection for children begin and end? 

Have the lines between our real and digital worlds become so blurred that we can’t see the impact the words and actions of adults, have on future generations? 

Are companies and employers creating positive environments that value and support young people or are they just promoting the "survival of the fittest" narrative?

The consequences of not supporting our young people, at arguably one of the most testing times of any generation that has gone before, are dire and the current system of rehabilitation, patience and tolerance simply doesn’t exist, as the Guardian explains.

Exclusions in schools are at an all time high. Not because schools want to exclude but because they do not have the time and funds required to support the increasingly complex lives of modern children and families.

The cost of exclusion is not lost on the headteachers that run our schools. Once lost from the system, crime, explotation, unemployment and uncertainty are the most probable outcomes for these most vulanrable of children.

A thrown away generation, with learnt throw away values.

And what does this say to the kids who make it through the system, what employees will they become?

What will they expect from future employers? Will they want a more compassionate and inclusive workplace or one that promotes a cultre of corporate bullying and thin moral values?

As Linda Creed and Michael Messer wrote, "I believe the children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way". 

When we look back, will we be proud of the path we have chosen for our children and have we indeed, taught them well?

Did we invest time and money in building positive future environments for the next generation and those that follow?