In modern times, children seem to be losing the quality of childhood more and more as time passes. Instead of family hikes and throwing the ball around, too many children spend their time glued to a screen. Because of this, many children are much too foreign to the idea of survival skills or even basic outdoor knowledge.
Telegraph.co posted an article about this very concept and stated the following: “Children today are part of a digital generation that has grown up in a world surrounded by technology and the internet, and they are using mobile phones, tablets, e-readers and computers on a daily basis. For some parents, this can be a rather daunting prospect, as they may have spent their childhood playing basic arcade games whereas their children are entertaining themselves with a variety of internet-enabled devices and getting to grips with the latest technology quicker than them.”
Because of this new electronic generation, kids are missing out on the outdoor experiences that are meant to be had as a child. According to theguardian.com, “While more than four-fifths (83%) of parents questioned thought it was important their children learned to use technology, nine out of 10 would prefer them to spend their childhood outdoors, developing a connection with nature.”
“Almost all (96%) of the 1,001 parents with children aged between four and 14 quizzed for the National Trust thought it was important their children had a connection with nature and thought playing outdoors was important for their development. The research found, on average, children were playing outside for just over four hours a week, compared to 8.2 hours a week when the adults questioned were children.”
This is not the case for 10-year-old Malachi. Nobody could believe Malachi’s absolutely shocking story when it surfaced. This boy managed to survive alone in the wilderness with no food, water or shelter after getting lost on a family hike. Perhaps most surprising was his description regarding the experience and what he credits his survival to. It’s a shocking story that unsurprisingly turned heads all around the country.
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