Our children are in danger of losing their innocence – Dad’s Diary by Simon Carter

With regards to our children’s education, like never before in fact.

Yesterday the government revealed that a new curriculum, starting in 2010, will introduce dedicated lessons about relationships, keeping safe on the internet, and looking after their own mental health.

These will be delivered to primary school pupils, as young as four years old.

There will be lessons on the dangers of sexting, and spotting anxiety in their friends.

All a world away from my primary school days. The word ‘sexting’ hadn’t been invented - mobile phones hadn’t been invented! - and a main cause of anxiety was your best friend completing their Panini football stickers album before you did.

Under the new guidelines, children as young as four will be taught self-care - such as getting enough sleep and spending time outdoors.

Is this what it’s come to? When I was a child I loved nothing better than spending time outdoors, playing football in the park or on the school field. Are today’s kids - even at such a young age - so besotted with their screens that they have to be taught how to enjoy fresh air?

I repeat - is that what society has come to? If it has, then surely any benefits gained from the inexorable rise of the internet and smartphones have been negated by what we’ve lost.

Today’s children will soon be learning about online safety, and what to do if they find something uncomfortable

When I was six or seven I was lining up toy soldiers in my back garden and playing Ker-plunk. Soon, kids that age will be taught about how to stay safe online, trolling, and chatting to strangers.

The latter, of course, is nothing new.

Back in the 1970s Charley the cat starred in a series of ‘Charley Says …’ public information films produced by the government. In a nutshell, Charley saved his young owner from the perils of playing with matches, inherent dangers of kitchen utensils, and talking to strange men (‘do you want to see some puppies?’). Charley ‘spoke’ unintelligible nonsense but his owner understood him and he was always rewarded with a big fish.

As previously mentioned, though, life has changed. Charley is now completely outdated, and young children have a lot more to worry about from strangers than being asked to see some dogs with waggy tails.

That saddens me, as it should sadden you.

We’ve gained so much from the internet era, but our children are in danger of losing their innocence too early as a result. These new education guidelines - which, as a parent, I have no problem with - savagely underline that.

And there’s no way that’s a fair swap …

A 6.45am start – all for a horse!

I didn’t mind the early start, for Ells loves horses and riding.

She has done for several years now, and it’s a passion her mum and I remain keen to help her with.

After all, our thinking goes, the more time she spends with horses the less time she’ll spend on her phone talking to – horror of horrors! – boys.

Horses are nice, they don’t dump you by text for starters. Unlike boys.

However, boys don’t always put you in A & E. I once took Ells to hospital twice in the space of a fortnight – and both times there was an equine reason.

First, a horse stood on her foot. Result = a few hours in A & E and a big toenail completely ripped off.

Second, Ells fell off a (different) horse.

Result = some mild concussion and another few hours in a waiting room.

Last Sunday Ells spent some time on a cross country course, not far from Salisbury Plain.

I took some videos. On one, Ells and MJ (horse) completed some jumps then disappeared behind a clump of trees.

Two seconds later, MJ emerged. It was like Christmas – no Ells (really, I’m sorry for that!)

Thankfully, she was fine. And as I told her, better to be dumped off the back of a horse than dumped by a boy...