Ten Things Children Wish For…

‘I wish I could talk to rabbits’ – Shreya, 4
‘I wish I was an astronaut’ – Abbie, 5
‘I wish I had £157 pounds’ – Ben, 3
‘I wish I had a horse-shaped brownie’ – Alex, 4
‘I wish someone would pick up my toys…my arms are taking a nap, I can’t’ – Hannah, 6
‘I wish I was Snow White’ – Beth, 5
‘I wish I could eat Mars bars all day’ – Dwayne, 4
‘I wish mummy didn’t make my ears hurt all the time’ – anon, 5
‘I wish I could read big words’ – Mark, 4
‘I wish I was the fastest runner’ – Will, 4

Did you spot it?

One out of ten of these children said something that was a cause for concern – just as one in ten children are explicit victims of neglect in the UK (NSPCC, 2016).

One out of ten of these children has actively flagged thiselves as a cause for concern, but more may be disguising the same – because, trouble doesn’t always come in the form of a big red flag, and can often be so subtle that it’s hardly detected. It’s our job, then, to constantly be on the lookout for the little things, that may not be obvious but might still indicate a child’s unhealthy lifestyle.