Catherine’s plea to put down our phones
… Even Harry and Meghan agree
When the Princess of Wales initially launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021, you’d be forgiven for not understanding exactly what the aim of it was, other than emphasising the importance of bonding in the first five years of a child’s life.
However, fast-forward four years and Catherine has become a campaigner in an area which has become critically-important. Thanks to lockdown and the closure of children’s centres all over the country, we’re becoming an increasingly fractured society, with many parents not interacting in their community as they used to, and some children starting school who have never been to playschool or pre-school.
Add to that the rise of phones and gadgets, mean family-time is becoming fractured, too, as we sit on our devices and don’t interact. Prince William recently told Eugene Levy in his interview for The Reluctant Traveller, that the family eat together and their children are not allowed phones. “We sit and chat, it’s really important. None of our children have any phones, which we’re very strict about,” he said.
This week, Catherine visited Home Start Oxford and penned an essay on the power of human connection, with Professor Robert Waldinger. She writes, “While new technology has many benefits, we must also acknowledge that it plays a complex and often troubling role in this epidemic of disconnection. We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds. We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us.
When we check our phones during conversations, scroll through social media during family dinners, or respond to e-mails while playing with our children, we’re not just being distracted, we are withdrawing the basic form of love that human connection requires. We’re raising a generation that may be more ‘connected’ than any in history while simultaneously being more isolated, more lonely, and less equipped to form the warm, meaningful relationships that research tells us are the foundation of a healthy life.”
She says we need to make a conscious effort to be more present – to protect family dinners, conversations and engaged listening. “This is not just about creating a more loving environment for our children. It’s about creating a more loving world. And that begins with a simple, deliberate act. Look the people you care about in the eye and be fully there – because that is where love begins.”
And Meghan and Harry agree
William and Catherine have even found allies in Harry and Meghan, as the Duke and Duchess of Susses spoke about the dangers of technology for children, at the Project Healthy Minds gala in New York, on Thursday. They were named “humanitarians of the year” at the event.
Meghan said she and Harry have often discussed how they are going to keep Archie and Lilibet safe. “Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology’s benefits while safeguarding against its dangers,” she said. “That hopeful intention of separation is rapidly becoming impossible.”
The couple said in a statement, “Working with families and young people to prioritise safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives. We’re proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.”
William is moved to tears
The Prince of Wales shared an extremely emotional conversation, for World Mental Health Day on Friday. William was talking to Rhian Mannings, who explained how her husband Paul took his life after their one-year-old son George suddenly died. Rhian told the prince how much she wished Paul had confided how he was feeling, so she could have helped him. William is seen to struggle with the conversation, before starting to cry, in this immensely-moving video. “The best way to prevent suicide is to talk about it. Talk about it early, talk about it with your loved ones, those you trust, your friends. So thank you for talking about it,” he says. We love how genuine William is and send our love and admiration for the courage Rhian displays in sharing her story. For support, visit hubofhope.co.uk
King and Queen meet their Lego selves
Camilla has always been a good brick and now she’s officially one – a Lego one, at least. The King and Queen were delighted to be presented with Lego figures of themselves in Scotland, this week. They were at Ballater, Aberdeenshire, when the local Lego club presented the monarchs a Lego version of the scene, including the King and Queen. “This took weeks to do, it was a lot of work,” one of the locals told the Queen, who described it as “fantastic” and the pair were said to love their Lego lookalikes.
A very royal Christmas
Is it too early to mention the C word? Apologies… but the Royal Collection Trust Shop has launched its Christmas collection, including the revival of the Guard Mouse, Don Freeman’s 1967 children’s story. Buckingham Palace has reprinted the book, as well as this cute Christmas tree decoration, £12, and more. It’s worth taking a look now, as popular items always sell out early, royalcollectionshop.co.uk