Square-eyed toddlers can't relax

Children today do lots of activities

Toddlers spend up to five hours a day watching TV or playing on computers, a big study suggests.

They are increasingly dressed in designer gear, have trendy haircuts and lots of gadgets, says a survey for Mother and Baby magazine.

The magazine's editor Karen Pasquali Jones, said: "Today's toddlers act like tiny teenagers - they've been there, done it and got the T-shirt - but they miss out on good old-fashioned, imaginative fun."

She said working parents were trying to compensate for their lack of time by spending money on toddlers.

Designer clothes

About two thirds of parents questioned said their toddler got a new toy at least once a month, while only 31% said presents were just for birthdays and Christmas.

By the age of three, 42% of toddlers have a TV in their bedroom, while 50% have their own CD player. Four per cent have a PC in their bedroom.

About two-thirds of parents said they regularly bought designer clothes for their children, with 86% saying they spent more on clothes for their toddler than themselves.

Hot-housed 21st century toddlers are suffering from over stimulation Karen Pasquali Jones, Editor of Mother and Baby

The study was based on interviews with 2,000 parents of children aged between one and three and a half.

Karen Pasquali Jones paints a picture of indulgent but paranoid parenting.

"Children's wardrobes are packed with designer clothes and they're carted from one paid-for activity to the next because parents are terrified they will fall behind their peers if they don't attend classes.

"As a result, hot-housed 21st century toddlers are suffering from over stimulation and their volatile behaviour is harder to handle than ever."

While 90% of parents said other parents were competitive about their children, only 54% admitted they were competitive themselves.

Eighty-four per cent of parents said their toddler regularly had tantrums, while 44% said he or she hit other children.