Nowadays, parents are more directly engaged in their children’s activities during leisure times. In the one side, some believe that parents have to actively make the children taking part in structured group activities. In the other side are those who argue they should learn to be independent in this issue and could engage themselves. In my opinion both views have their own points and backwards.
In congruent with first approach, I think children have a limited capacity to organize and set up some activities with their peers who mostly have same abilities. Some scientific evidence shows since underdeveloped prefrontal cortex in childhood, they not being enough capable of planning and managing the time, activities, or conflict. Additionally, they usually have some challenges in turn taking, follow the structures and other requirement of a desirable group activity. So, offering help and providing an organized, or at least semi-organized, activity could facilitate their games and being along with each other. Furthermore, it protects them from probably risks due to their limited skills in estimating potential dangers.
On the other hand, children really need to get autonomous during development and it is essential for facing future social demands. Despite the former argument, psychological research has confirmed that overprotection or intrusiveness of parents could damage the children social, emotional, and yet cognitive growth. It seems they need to promote their capacities in organizing time and tasks, even in playing with siblings or peers. They also have right to choose their favorite hobbies. Equally importantly, it is necessary to learn to spend time alone and set up some occupations independently. The ability to being alone and enjoy it is a main predictive factor of resiliency.
In summary, one point which I hold is that the balance between these two viewpoints is the best strategy for the optimal development of children and apply them for upcoming demands of being socialized.