Are We Raising a Risk-Averse Generation?

The Pressures Facing Early Years Children

Everyone is talking about adolescence, with the powerful drama highlighting the struggles and challenges facing today’s teenagers. But the pressures of modern life are just as real for our early year’s children—particularly in a post-COVID world.

With increasing screen time muting the power of conversation and the digital world of scrolling shortening our attention spans, our youngest children are not developing the cognitive tools they need to be curious, investigate, explore, and ask those all-important ‘why’ questions.

 

The constant access to news at our fingertips also means we are hyper-aware of potential risks, often leading to overprotective tendencies. Are we shielding children too much—stopping them from climbing trees in case they fall, avoiding messy play in fear of dirt, and always quick to shout “be careful” instead of “think about how you can do that safely”?

Risk-taking is a fundamental part of life. Learning to navigate challenges with a ‘can-do’ approach is a key life skill that should be nurtured from an early age. If we do not encourage resilience, are we raising a generation of overly cautious and risk-averse future adults? Success is so much sweeter when achieved through effort and perseverance. We must build a curriculum that fosters a growth mindset—one that teaches children to overcome challenges, think about how they CAN do something, and not focus on what they cannot.

In business, resilience is the number one skill I look for when recruiting franchisees. One of the promises I make to our franchise partners is that they will face challenges and setbacks. Expecting an easy journey is unrealistic, but overcoming obstacles builds strength and success.

Even five years after the start of the COVID pandemic, children are entering school without the independence skills they need for this important stage of life. We must prioritise a curriculum that encourages children to try, persevere, and develop independence. Spilling a drink while learning to use a big cup or putting a shoe on the wrong foot should be celebrated as progress, not avoided due to fear of mistakes.

When we launched Canopy Nurseries, we felt it was pivotal to introduce our Canopy Code curriculum. Canopy Code is the foundation we embrace in every Canopy Nursery. Put simply, it defines the skills and behaviours we want children to develop to ensure they are fully equipped and ready for their next steps. We want our children to be curious explorers, confident communicators, independent learners, and inquisitive thinkers. With these skills firmly embedded, they will be prepared for their transition into school and beyond.

By embracing a supportive, challenge-positive approach to early years education, we can equip children with the confidence, adaptability, and resilience they need to navigate life’s challenges and thrive in their future learning environments.