They say you only get out of life what you put into it.

Now, thanks to independent writer Sue Palmer, there is proof the same can be said for our children.

Her pioneering book "Toxic Childhood. How the Modern World is damaging our Children and What We Can do About It" (Orion 2006), sparked an international debate, and Webster's High School in Kirriemuir is part of it.

When members of the school's book club read the informative book they were unanimous in their support and enthusiasm for her approach, her beliefs, her observations and, above all her, positive, common sense approach in dealing with a range of problems.

Chapter by chapter, topic after topic, she analyses the many influences facing today's children

Diet, exercise, sleep, communication, family, childcare, education, marketing/peer pressure, technology and parenting all come under the spotlight, giving a better understanding of the various influences affecting today's children.

The book left such an impression on Webster's rector Eric Summers he contacted the author, met her and has invited her to attend two important group sessions which will take place at the school next week.

Open meeting

Mr Summers has organised an open meeting which will be held at the school on Thursday, May 22 from 7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and extends an open invitation to all members of the local community.

Invitations have gone out to parents, youth organisations, local churches, Kirriemuir Community Council, Tayside Police's Community liaison officer Pam Colvin, Kirriemuir Rotary and Round Table.

He is hoping the local community will support what promises to be an enlightening and thought provoking evening.

He said: "The book really got to me. It is not negative, it is not slagging anyone off but it is saying the 21st century does affect us all, we are all in this together.

"About 20 staff and parents have now read the book and it has sparked probably the best discussion we have had as a group."

Whilst the author will discuss her book with staff from Webster's and the school's cluster primaries during an in-service day next Friday, Mr Summers encourages the local community to get behind her visit.

He explained: "I would be terribly disappointed if we didn't get a good turnout on the Thursday evening. People are very quick to slag off kids. Often they deserve it, I know that, but you can't slag them off and then not come along to a meeting like this to talk about the issues.

"The author is not putting the onus on the parents - it's not a matter of getting parents together and giving parents a row. She is saying we are all caught up in the way society runs nowadays, she is very sympathetic.

"I hope there is a raised awareness and a proper community feel about the things we all have responsibility for; if we care about our community then we are all responsible."

Among those who have read and have been influenced by the book were Webster's staff members Joan Preston, head of learning support; Derek Smith, one of the support staff ; Fraser McKenzie, head of P.E. and Parent Council member Mrs Helen Stott.

All found the book easy to read and, on personal levels, related to a number of issues.

Mrs Preston stated the increasing number of pupils with ADHD, autism and autistic related difficulties tied in with what was said in the book.

"Is it the environment, peer pressure, diet, children not getting a good night's sleep so their behaviour disintegrates? It makes you wonder.

"The reviews are all extremely positive."

Computer games

She and her fellow teachers referred to the reluctance of parents to allow their children to play outside, with Mr McKenzie referring to the decrease in the fitness levels in pupils over the years in comparison to the increase in computer games.

He said: "Children are now interacting with computers rather than other people.

"Today's children are not as fit as they were 15 years ago; then they were much more active.

"Parents' attitudes have changed, children are much more cosseted. Children don't have the freedom, they are not wasting energy for several hours a night playing outside, coming in exhausted and going to bed and having a good night's sleep."

Parent Council member Mrs Helen Stott stated she was able to relate to a number of issues in the book which dealt with problems using a common sense approach.

The importance of family meal times, banning computers in bedrooms, even having a child in a buggy turned to face it's mother, all struck a chord when she read the book.

Sue Palmer, a former primary headteacher and now an independent writer, presenter and consultant on primary education (notably literacy), has written over 200 books, TV programmes and software packages for children and teachers, and acted as an independent consultant to the DfES, National Literacy Trust, Basic Skills Agency, numerous educational publishers and the BBC.

She is well known to primary teachers around the UK (and, increasingly, worldwide) for her in-service courses and articles in the educational press.

'Toxic Childhood: how modern life is damaging our children… and what we can do about it' was her first for a more general audience, and helped spark a national debate about the nature of contemporary childhood.

It was followed by a 'self-help' book for parents, Detoxing Childhood, and she is at present working on 21st Century Boys, for publication in 2009.

For your chance to take part in the debate at Webster' High School on Thursday, May 22, contact the school on 01575-572840 or go along on the evening for a 7.30 p.m. start.