Shitting The Bed On Our Duty Of Care.

"The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members."?

This powerful statement serves as a sobering reminder of the responsibility we bear toward our children—the most vulnerable among us. Yet, in an age of rapid technological advancements, shifting societal norms and pervasive consumerism, our collective failure to meet this obligation has reached a critical point.

From the exploitation of children through addiction-driven marketing to the erosion of physical education and the prevalence of detrimental parenting practices, we are compromising the physical and mental well-being of our youngest generation. The time for action is now and it begins with confronting the systemic failures across institutions, society and households.

Duty of Care: A Moral and Legal Obligation

Duty of care represents our responsibility to protect others from harm and foster environments where they can thrive. For children, this obligation extends beyond physical safety to their emotional, social and cognitive development. Yet, across every dimension of their lives, this duty is being neglected.

The results are alarming. Rising rates of childhood obesity, anxiety, depression and addiction underscore the urgency of addressing these failures head-on.

Where We’re Falling Short

1. Profit Over Protection: Marketing Addiction to Children

In a world dominated by corporate interests, children are targeted by industries that exploit their vulnerabilities for profit.

• Processed Foods: Engineered to hit the “bliss point” of sugar, salt and fat, processed foods are marketed aggressively to children, leading to skyrocketing childhood obesity rates. Nearly 20% of children aged 6-19 in the U.S. are obese, with long-term consequences like diabetes, heart disease and mental health challenges.
• Social Media: Platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are designed to manipulate young minds, exploiting their undeveloped impulse control. The CDC reports a 57% increase in depression among teens over the past decade, directly linked to the rise of social media use.
• Vaping: Marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, vaping products have hooked millions of teens. Over 2.5 million U.S. middle and high school students use e-cigarettes, despite the known risks to brain development and long-term addiction.

These industries thrive on creating dependency, while regulatory bodies and parents struggle to keep pace. The result is a generation increasingly tethered to harmful habits.

2. Schools and Physical Education: Prioritizing Everything But Health

Schools, once a critical safeguard for children’s physical well-being, are increasingly sidelining physical education (PE) in favor of academic metrics.

• Erosion of PE Programs: Only 39% of elementary schools offer daily PE, despite its proven benefits for physical, mental and academic health. Budget cuts and shifting priorities mean fewer opportunities for children to develop lifelong healthy habits.
• Rising Costs: As schools cut PE, families must turn to private programs to fill the gap. The average family now spends $1,188 per child annually on youth sports, pricing out millions of children from marginalized communities.
• The Technology Pull: With children spending 7-9 hours a day on screens, physical activity is further displaced. Sedentary lifestyles, combined with a lack of structured exercise, are driving an epidemic of obesity, anxiety and social isolation.

This neglect of PE in schools not only compromises children’s health but also undermines their academic and emotional resilience.

3. Parenting Practices: Snowplow and Buddy Parents

At home, parenting styles have shifted in ways that hinder children’s growth.

• Snowplow Parenting: Parents who remove every obstacle from their child’s path deny them the opportunity to learn resilience and problem-solving. Studies show that overprotected children struggle with anxiety and lack the coping mechanisms needed for adulthood.
• Buddy Parenting: When parents prioritize friendship over authority, children grow up without clear boundaries or accountability. This fosters entitlement and leaves them unprepared to handle the demands of school, work and relationships.
• Dual-Income Households: While financial stability is a benefit, the time constraints of working parents often leave children without sufficient guidance. Unsurprisingly, children left to their own devices often turn to social media influencers for advice, values and validation—a trend fraught with risks.

These practices undermine critical life skills like independence, accountability and resilience, leaving children ill-equipped for the challenges of adulthood.

Solutions to Fulfill Our Duty of Care

1. Regulate Social Media: Protect Vulnerable Minds

• Introduce strict age limits, enforce screen time caps and require platforms to design algorithms prioritizing children’s well-being.
• Adopt models like the UK's Online Safety Bill, which mandates accountability for harmful content targeting children.

2. Prioritize Physical Education: Make It Non-Negotiable

• Mandate daily PE in schools, with funding for qualified instructors or partnerships with private contractors. Cut the union bullshit and walk the school culture talk.?
• Address inequities by offering subsidies for sports programs in underserved communities, ensuring every child has access to structured physical activity.

3. Equip Parents to Lead, Not Enable

• Provide resources and education to help new parents set boundaries, foster resilience and model healthy behaviors.
• Encourage parents to limit screen time, engage in meaningful family activities and teach children life skills that promote independence and accountability.

Our neglect of children’s physical and mental well-being is not just a societal oversight; it is a moral failing. The consequences of inaction—rising chronic disease, mental health crises and a generation ill-equipped for the future—are too great to ignore.

The solutions are clear: regulate harmful industries, prioritize health in schools and empower parents to lead with intention. The question is whether we have the collective will to act.

As a society, we are measured by how we care for our most vulnerable. Let us rise to the challenge and recommit to the duty of care that every child deserves. The cost of doing nothing is a future none of us can afford.

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