Ryan Bridge: Why is the state parenting our kids?

There's a thing happening with parents, responsibility and the state.

Kids are either misbehaving or not learning, parents are putting their hands up, and the state is having to regulate, what kids can and can't do.

I was watching the news last night and a researcher was telling the story of an early childhood teacher.

Teacher said parents had turned up with their toddler to class, handed over an Ipad with the kid, and said that the child would not eat any meals without being plugged into an Ipad.

You can't tell me parents haven't heard screen time is bad news.

Remember ECE is for kids who are three months to 5 years old.

So, perhaps to offset what the kid is being allowed to do at home, National wants to ban screens in class for toddlers.

In the UK, the state is now going after parents whose kids are behaving badly and turning into crooks.

If your kid commits crimes, you could lose your benefit or be sent to prison or fined.

So, we have the state basically saying that parents are not controlling their kids - either on screens or on the streets - and so steps in to parent for them.

Or use doll out punishment to force them to parent properly.

Which begs the question, what's happened to parenting?

Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.