Colman Noctor: Small changes could lead to big results for children

Let's make it our goal in 2024 to make positive progress in   smartphone ownership among primary school children, the ‘win at all costs’ culture of children’s sport and the rise in episodes of bullying by exclusion

In my final column of the year, I look at the progress achieved in three areas and what work still needs to be done to address these pressing concerns.

I wrote about many parenting issues in 2023 but three stand out: smartphone ownership; leapfrogging in children’s sports, and social media bullying. In my final column of the year, I look at the progress achieved in these areas and what work still needs to be done to address these pressing concerns.

In January I wrote about the prolific levels of smartphone ownership in children under 12. As I re-read this column, I am reminded of how disheartened I was to find out that according to the 2023 CyberSafeKids study, the number of children aged 12 and under who own a smartphone had risen rapidly, with three out of every four children surveyed stating they owned one. I have spent the last few years warning parents of the dangers of providing smartphones to primary schoolchildren. Still, it seems my professional advice is no match for the marketing skills of the superpower tech companies and the pester power of young children.