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No.

The rest of the world has television and magazines too.

Children may be unhappy because a lot of adults do not give them any freedom and independence. They are taken to school, taken to their friends houses, taken to the cinema all in the cause of 'safety''. But what is really happening is that parents are controlling their child's every move.
Question Author
Gromit

Read the article,

/// Indicating how important looks are to many children, one 12-year-old girl told researchers: “People are judged on looks. Sometimes you feel like you can’t enjoy yourself unless you are pretty.” ///

Ugly parents can't be blamed for that.

Also interesting to note it specifically mentioned English children, a very rare description these days, when England seems to be off the map.

Are English children more unhappy than 'UK' children or even 'British' children, wherever that is?
Not sure that is totally true Gromit but must be the case for some I guess.

Yes, physical appearance is one thing but so also is the constant bombardments of the latest gadget that parents simply cannot afford so little johnny then thinks he is being victimized.

I suspect continual showing of smiling white toothed Californians adornign our screens driving fancy cars with 'daddy' buying everything also has something to do with it.

One thing though Gromit, has this survey been done in other countries?
Question Author
youngmafbog

/// One thing though Gromit, has this survey been done in other countries? ///

You have a very good point there YMB, was this a World Wide survey?

Good job it wasn't a Daily Mail story.
AOG
I did read the article. If the survey is accurate (I'm not convinced it is) then I do not agree with the conclusions offered.

Another problem I see is that children don't get much of a childhood. They are made into young aldults far too quickly. They are dressed like adults, they are sexualised, and are supposed to behave like adults, but in reality they are still children.

I do blame American TV and films for young girls' obsession with their looks and status. The US has a culture a lot different than ours, and the messages it gives out should not apply to our children, but they wrongly believe the messages. Hopefully, we are less superficial.
Ummm... I see in the report that the highest percentage of 'unhappy children' are in the 14 to 15 year olds segment and I have no immediate statistics at hand, but I'd be very surprised if that wouldn't also be mirrored here in the U.S.

Seems that the early teen-age years produce the most confusion and therefore 'unhappiness' in children and adolescents in general. There are a number of valid reasons for this, but the current overriding predominance of PED's (Personal Electronic Devices) has to be a major factor... at least in my unprofessional, entirely out of my depth, opinion...
I certainly wasn't happy in my teens, I felt it to be the most confusing time of my life. I don't think that's a new phenomenon.
Teens?.....best time of my life......grammar school...first kiss, first date, first fumble and they were with the opposite sex.
Sport, rugby, cricket,athletics, meeting other people at other schools.
Applying to University, interviews........i could go on.
Happiest time of my life.........well not quite true.......the first year after qualifying was my happiest.
well the media's fixation doesn't help but the main problem is the inherent sheep like qualities of 99% of the population. That's why tw@tter/Facetube, soap operas, big brother and other mind numbing public cess pits and squallor are so popular. Almost no one thinks for themselves anymore and are told the "correct" look for face and body, the "correct" opinions on a range of subjects. Anyone who is slightly different gets the modern version of the spanish inquisition. Is it any wonder the kids are confused and cowed. Their parents won't let them walk down the corner shop on their own. Their idea of sport is sitting in their bedroom playing some terrible game screaming at their compatriate dullards from around the world. I fear for our future with the humourless weakling drones we are churning out.
Question Author
Gromit

/// I did read the article. If the survey is accurate (I'm not convinced it is) then I do not agree with the conclusions offered. //

Oh you are such a doubting Thomas Gromit. and whether you agree with the findings or not, makes little difference, that is what the report found.

Not as I disagree with your points, but that is not what the report mainly found, and why did you pick out the US culture in particular?
Question Author
boxtops

/// I certainly wasn't happy in my teens, I felt it to be the most confusing time of my life. I don't think that's a new phenomenon. //

Thankfully I was in my teens before 'Teenagers' were invented, so I am unaware of any particular emotional differences etc, except I began to rather like girls, when before I hated them.

And before anyone jumps on the bandwagon, yes this time I am really delving into the history books, well mine at least.
AOG
I picked on US culture in particular because our media is full of US films, TV, games, cartoons, etc. I haven't seen many Iranian Rom-Coms on ITV2 recently.

Adding to my doubting, I am not even sure this is a new phenomenon in teenagers. I doubt the present youth are any less happy than the people the same age 40, 30 years ago.
Question Author
Gromit

/// I picked on US culture in particular because our media is full of US films, TV, games, cartoons, etc. I haven't seen many Iranian Rom-Coms on ITV2
recently. ///

Well what about the other bottom 29 countries are they also swayed by US culture?

*** The Children’s Society charity found English children came 30th out of 39 countries in Europe and North America in terms of “subjective wellbeing” – how they rated their own happiness and life satisfaction. ***

I blame the weather....
Question Author
ummmm

/// I blame the weather...///

Maybe it causes a few frowns at times, but does it have other long term facial consequences,
AOG

British kids *should* be unhappy.

Too many of them are obese.
Usually plain spoken and making a lot of sense, Tora Tora Tora has out done him/herself this time in cutting to the chase so eloquently… Well done!
TTT does sum the general situation up well. Media doesn't help that's true but other factors come in to play. TTT mentioned 'sheep', I would almost say 'robots', who have far more corrupting influences around them which include the best way to look and all that nonsense of 'size 0' waists in order to conform to their idols.
clanad/agchristie - I appreciate your appreciation thanks.

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