Prince William has spoken out about the importance of combatting the amount of pressure children are put under, stating that a large contributor is social media.
The Duke of Cambridge spoke of the importance of role-modelling and nurturing a child’s self-esteem, at an event celebrating the partnership between his charity Skillforce and The Children’s Trust on 6 November, he spoke of the importance of role-modelling and nurturing a child’s self-esteem.
“The pressure on young people these days is considerable - almost certainly more than even for my generation not so long ago,” he said.
The Prince also likened constant access to social media to a sense of being on call 24/7, and suggested the damage this is likely to have on a child’s self-worth.
He spoke of “the subsequent strains on relationships and home life”, as well as the difficulty of teaching traits that build self-esteem later in life.
The event also marked the launch of the Prince William Award, which will aim to build the confidence of children aged six to 14.
Prince Harry also feels strongly about the damage that social media can have on the mental health of young people.
During a visit to Denmark to address the country’s One of Us mental health campaign last month, the Press Association reported he said:
“People are spending far too much time online and it’s like a mental running machine that they can’t get off. You wouldn’t put your body through such a workout.”