That's the message Maggie Dent gave to south-west parents at a series of seminars held at Deakin University's Warrnambool campus yesterday.

The author and parenting specialist spoke to packed crowds about how modern Australia was failing to let children properly develop.

Ms Dent said a reliance on technology as a source of entertainment had corroded the emotional building blocks children needed in the earlier years of life.

"Today's children are sadder, sicker and fatter than any other previous generation because we've lost a commonsense approach to parenting," she said.

"Overly protective parents are a big problem. "If you don't expose your child to a moderate amount of risk at an early age then once they reach adulthood they find it very difficult to get a job, to learn how to drive, to establish a relationship and so on."

Ms Dent outlined the 10 keys to instil resilience in children, including good nutrition, clear boundaries and meaningful involvement with other adults.

"The first stage of a child's life is critical to how they develop," Ms Dent said.

"Children need to be outside, experiencing real life and being active instead of being stuck in front of a computer, because they won't mentally develop otherwise."

Ms Dent also recommended that one parent stay at home or work part-time during the first two years of their child's life.