You Keep Telling Your Child to Be Careful. Science Says It Is Making Them Less Safe.
Telling your child to be careful feels like good parenting. Research says it teaches them that risk is something adults fear, not something children can learn to manage. Norwegian researcher Ellen Sandseter found that risky play, including heights, speed, and rough-and-tumble, is necessary for developing risk assessment, physical confidence, and lower anxiety. Safe playgrounds may be producing less capable adults.
