Having spent the first 20 odd years of my life in North Yorkshire I am aware of that. I'm also aware plenty of these kids go from a centrally heated home in a warm car to a heated school.
Real world hardship? I doubt it :-) Minor inconvieniences perhaps. Seriously, what harm became them?
I don't think so much that the cold alone would teach them anything, although the ones glued to their games consoles may learn a little, but the wider implications of no power hopefully would have helped them realise how many luxuries they take for granted. Growing up in an isolated valley meant powercuts, sometimes for extended periods. Forget broadband, we could lose power and phone and roads, loosing luxuries, even for a short time helps teach people to think, to be creative in finding solutions. We didn't exactly have to chip the ice off the cows each morning but you had to bodge some interesting solutions for feeding yourself and animals and getting around was fun.
It's a challenge and kids need challenges (mine do or they get bored and things go bad fast) to help them practice skills and build confidence. I don't advocate sending them down the pits or putting them in harms way, but a single day without power is hardly likely to harm them is it?
People over protect kids, they're resiliant little buggers who thrive on challenges, coddling them and shielding them from challenging situations breeds mediocrity and a lack of ambition. Great if you want a generation of fryers for the golden arches, not so great if you want to be a country of 'sunrise industries' (I think that's the current phrase).
Biting the hand that feeds IT
