Britain’s top mental health expert tells parents ‘be less critical’ of kids

Britain’s top mental health expert tells parents ‘be less critical’ of kids Professor Peter Fonagy gives his advice to parents and tells MPs that calling young people a 'snowflake generation' is an ‘insult’ given what they go through Parents should be “less critical” of children according to the head of an inquiry into Britain’s mental health. Professor Peter Fonagy gave his number one piece of advice to parents at a committee of MPs while insisting that calling younger people a “snowflake generation” was an “insult”. The top psychologist's review published last week concluded that the rise in mental illness in the UK was real - and linked to life becoming harder for children and young people. Giving evidence before a joint sitting of the Education and Health committees, Prof Fonagy said: I do a lot of advising parents about how they should bring up their children and there's one advice that I give above all else. “Stop criticising your child. Notice when they do something that you want them to do and reinforce that. Encourage that. “I think we need to be less spiteful and less depriving in our approach to young people and far more encouraging.” Prof Fonagy was giving evidence after chairing the most comprehensive ever review of mental health in Britain contributed to by 120 top experts. The 607-page document described how it is harder to be young now due to smartphones and relentless comparisons on social media and in schools, as well as a lack of belonging and fewer job opportunities. Its findings will feed into government policies on everything from education to the NHS and the welfare state. Prof Fonagy told MPs: “The snowflake generation is an insult to young people. I challenge all of you here to cope with the pressures that young people are under and sustain the quality of childhood and young adulthood that you all were privileged to experience.” He added: “Most of you are of a generation that was brought up believing that you will have a future that's better than your parents. We are currently with a generation who are convinced, and rightly so, that they will not have the opportunities that their parents had. “That sense of hopelessness… that's part of their beliefs but also part of our beliefs. It also makes us feel somewhat guilty in relation to them. “Therefore it's much easier for us to say they are a snowflake generation than for us to say: ‘actually, we really messed it up for them and it's our fault’. “I mean if you think back, [the Covid-19 pandemic] was the first time that I can remember that the adult generation brought in a way of adjusting to a major health crisis that advantaged adults and disadvantaged children and young people. “Mostly the priority is given to the new generation but for whatever reason… we decided that our health was more important than theirs.” To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror just click on the link here to find them at the top of your feed. Prof Fonagy’s review also found that ADHD and autism are now at risk of overdiagnosis and warned that wrongly labelling children with the conditions can cause it to become their identity and hold them back. The psychoanalyst from University College London told the committee there has been a 73% support for youth services since 2011 which funded places such as youth clubs. Prof Fonagy said the "three simple things” that ensure good mental health are “people, place and purpose”. He explained: “People, meaning relationships… and places where you can benefit from that social support, and purpose in your life. Education [can be] a major purpose. “Let's hope that we can do better for our children, young people than we’ve been able to do over the past 20 years.”