Crowded house: the cosier, the rosier - 13 SEP, 2020 - Griffith University
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
AUTHOR: Andrew Taylor SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 135,093
PAGE: 1 PRINTED SIZE: 828.00cm² REGION: NSW MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 39,455 WORDS: 802
ITEM ID: 1331807281
13 SEP, 2020
Crowded house: the cosier, the rosier
Sun Herald, Sydney
Page 1 of 3
Crowded house: the cosier, the rosier
Uncrowded house? Cosier is rosier for kids
Many parents dream of raising their family in a roomy suburban
house, but new research has found it is isolating for children to grow
up in homes that are too empty. ‘‘They have separate bedrooms and
living spaces when they would benefit from more interaction with
siblings and adults,’’ said Professor Michael Dockery. NEWS PAGE 6
EXCLUSIVE
Andrew Taylor
Large suburban houses and the average floor size of an Australian good for their personal growth.’’
McMansions may be harmful to home (houses and apartments) was 189 Paul Burton, director of the Cities
children’s health, according to new square metres in 2018-19. Research Institute at Griffith
research that found kids are growing Canberra had the country’s biggest University, said overcrowding was a
up in homes that are too empty. homes, with an average floor area of problem when it was a product of
The study by Michael Dockery, a economic necessity rather than a
251 square metres, ahead of Victoria
research fellow at BankWest Curtin choice. ‘‘If I genuinely prefer to live
(246 square metres) and NSW
Economics Centre, also suggested with a lot of other people in a small
(221.8 square metres).
sharing bedrooms and living spaces house, then it might not be a problem
About 4 per cent of Australian
could have a positive impact on for us, even if our neighbours think
households are considered
children’s physical health and measures differently,’’ he said.
overcrowded, or require additional
of social and emotional development. Professor Burton also said the
bedrooms for the number of occupants,
‘‘My working hypothesis is that design of homes was more important
Professor Dockery said. ‘‘The vast
children now grow up too isolated than their size. ‘‘It is certainly true that
majority of children simply do not grow
within their own homes,’’ he said. ‘‘Too providing separate rooms for every
up in homes that are crowded,’’ he said.
often, they have separate bedrooms member of the household can
‘‘It appears they grow up in homes that
and living spaces when they would encourage us to lead very isolated lives,
are too empty.’’
instead benefit from more interaction albeit under the same roof,’’ he said.
Emily Smith shares her five-bedroom
with other siblings and adults.’’ University of Adelaide professor of
home on Sydney’s lower north shore
Professor Dockery’s research, based housing research Emma Baker said
with her husband, Trent, their two
on longitudinal studies of children and overcrowded housing can make
children, Annabel and Ella, as well as inhabitants, particularly children,
the Household, Income and Labour her brother- and sister-in-law, their
Dynamics in Australia survey, found more vulnerable to catching
nine-month-old baby and an au pair. communicable diseases. She said
scant evidence to support the Ms Smith’s children share a
assumption that crowded homes housing problems rarely occur in
bedroom and bathroom, which she said isolation. ‘‘So the small number of
negatively affect a child’s health and kept them ‘‘very close’’ and focused on
development. Australians living in overcrowded
sharing. ‘‘We deliberately haven’t housing probably already face the
There was, however, a link between created a separate kids’ area as we
higher household density and poorer effects of living in cold and poorly
enjoy having the kids integrated into maintained housing,’’ Professor
results on standardised maths and the conversations and playing around
reading tests for Indigenous children. Baker said.
us,’’ she said. Professor Dockery said there may be
Professor Dockery’s working paper Ms Smith said her home would feel
Could the real empty-nesters please grow benefits to larger families that
‘‘quite empty’’ if there were not as outweigh space constraints, although
up: Household crowding and children’s many people in the household.
wellbeing in Australia found isolation or it was not the government’s role to tell
‘‘I think the noise, chaos and people whether or not they should live
a lack of interaction at home had the
greatest impact on children aged in a McMansion.
laughter fills the space with a warmth
between five and nine. ‘‘The important implication is for
and energy that is good for the kids’
Australians build the second biggest families to ensure children have plenty
mental and physical health,’’ she said.
houses in the world after the US, says a of interaction and opportunity for play
‘‘We’ve found their independence is
report by CommSec and the Australian in their home during the
accelerated and that having a few
Bureau of Statistics, which also found developmental stages – maybe trade-
different perspectives in the home is
off extra bedrooms for more backyard
and shared living spaces,’’ he said.
Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.
AUTHOR: Andrew Taylor SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 135,093
PAGE: 1 PRINTED SIZE: 828.00cm² REGION: NSW MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 39,455 WORDS: 802
ITEM ID: 1331807281
13 SEP, 2020
Crowded house: the cosier, the rosier
Sun Herald, Sydney
Page 2 of 3
Trent and Emily Smith with children Ella, 3, Annabel, 6, and au pair Charli Slarks. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer
Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.
AUTHOR: Andrew Taylor SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 135,093
PAGE: 1 PRINTED SIZE: 828.00cm² REGION: NSW MARKET: Australia ASR: AUD 39,455 WORDS: 802
ITEM ID: 1331807281
13 SEP, 2020
Crowded house: the cosier, the rosier
Sun Herald, Sydney
Page 3 of 3
Trent and Emily
Smith at home in
Greenwich with
their children, Ella
(front) and
Annabel, au pair
Charli Slarks, and
their dog Sundae.
Photo: Dominic
Lorrimer
Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.You can also read
