By Aaior K. Comfort
If you’re over 40 and grew up outside major cities, you likely experienced a childhood vastly different from what children today are going through. Compared to the restricted and isolated lives of modern kids, your childhood was filled with freedom and adventure.
Whenever my family visits our hometown, our children never want to return to Lagos. The reason is simple: they enjoy the freedom to play and explore, something they can’t do in the city. In Lagos, like many urban settings, children live in a form of confinement, unable to step out of their homes without strict supervision.
Children today, especially those from middle- and upper-class families living in cities, lead lives that resemble house arrest. Whether in apartments or single-family homes, kids are limited to playing indoors or within their compounds. Even for short distances, like going to school, they are driven. By the time they return home from school and lessons, they are exhausted and barely have time for anything else.
Schools these days also lack adequate space for physical activities. Many operate on small plots of land, leaving little to no room for sports or recreational play. After school, kids are bogged down with homework, and their leisure time is mostly spent in front of screens, whether on TVs, video games, or phones.
Diet is another area where modern lifestyles have taken a toll. Many children consume an abundance of processed foods, snacks, and sugary drinks, often leading to health issues like childhood obesity, which was rare in previous generations.
Comparing this to my own childhood, we had ample opportunities to engage in outdoor activities. We played football on fields, in compounds, or even on the street. Swimming at the local stream was a regular occurrence, and climbing trees or gathering firewood was part of daily life. We learned independence from a young age, running errands, traveling alone for exams, and handling responsibilities that today’s children might struggle with.
Today, children have more access to technology, and they certainly know more about gadgets and information than we did at their age. But the price for this convenience and comfort is their physical health, independence, and resilience. While the world may have changed—with increased risks like kidnapping and crime—this doesn’t justify raising children who are unhealthy, dependent, and unprepared for life’s challenges.
It’s not too late to reevaluate the restrictive lifestyles we have imposed on our children. They need more than just protection; they need the freedom to explore, play, and build the strength and skills necessary to thrive in an unpredictable world.