The August editorial

Dear reader
One of the nicest things about my work for Schweizer ElternMagazin is the fact that I am able to deal with topics that also concern me as a father of two. For example, the question «How important is free play for my child's development?» in this issue.

As a little boy, I used to play behind the house in the scrapyard of a construction company. Wonderfully dangerous. We climbed into huge tanks, balanced metres high above the abyss. We tested our courage and strength, and I brought home a few scrapes. Since then, I've been free from giddiness and go through life pretty much without fear.

Today there is hardly any adventure land left, we monitor our children with GPS-enabled mobile phones, organise every minute of their free time: tutoring, football, flute lessons, golf for beginners, Chinese for advanced learners. We are alienating our children from nature and depriving them of the opportunity to recognise and live out their own needs.

«People don't stop playing because they get older. They get old because they stop playing.»

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Yet free play is particularly important for the development of young children. Alongside learning, play is the most important educational activity for humans. Of course, free play puts more strain on our nerves than sitting our offspring in front of the television or handing them a tablet. Free play requires courage and trust from us parents. And composure. The child gets dirty, falls out of the tree and always wants confirmation: «Look, Daddy, how high I've already climbed!»

As parents, you have to put up with that. The children will thank us for it. Now. And later. «Let's play» is therefore the title of our big dossier in the August issue.

In our cover film, editor-in-chief Nik Niethammer presents the August issue. He climbed high into the climbing frame to do so. See for yourself in the video: Bianca Fritz

Also in the August issue: Music is as much a part of us as walking upright. Music has a lasting effect on our psyche and helps us to express our feelings from an early age. From this issue onwards, music teacher Sibylle Dubs will be writing for us on a regular basis. Her first contribution: a plea for making music.

On a personal note: With this issue, my deputy Evelin Hartmann returns to the editorial team as a mum of two after a six-month maternity leave. What was the most impressive experience during this time? «The question from a friend, two weeks before I returned to work: What else have you got planned until then? My answer: NOTHING! Apart from enjoying my little daughter. That's all it takes. The feeling of living in the moment - I hope I can keep it for a long time to come.» I would like to welcome Claudia Landolt to the editorial team. The experienced journalist and mum of four boys has been writing for our magazine for some time and is now a permanent member of the team as lead author. For her debut, she has written the «Play» dossier. I would like to welcome both colleagues to our team.

I hope you enjoy reading our magazine!

Yours sincerely, Nik Niethammer

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The August issue of the Swiss parents' magazine Fritz+Fränzi will be on newsstands from 17 August. Subscribe to our magazine now and never miss another issue!