Our Kids Are Disadvantaged
Because childhood is the time for learning about the world and their role in it, kids need to be exploring, creating, trying things out. In earlier generations, this meant kids played in the neighborhood – catching bugs, creating games of ball and tag, climbing trees, getting bored and learning what to do about that. All these things taught lessons about perseverance, problem-solving, creativity, goal-setting and more. So our kids are at a disadvantage. They don’t have to play to learn these things – they can just plug in and tune out.
They’re also disadvantaged because they’re not constantly learning about their bodies if they’re always on-screen. They’re not running, jumping, challenging themselves, keeping fit without even realizing it. Childhood obesity is at an all-time high, as sedentary kids snack and sit through the hours of their day. Our poor disadvantaged kids!
What about learning to get along, relate, share, and take turns? I’m feeling more and more sorry for our kids the more I think about this. We are cheating them by giving them all this screen time, and they are the losers.
Okay, enough doom and gloom. Do we just pull the plug and go back to the 1950’s? Not possible, or even desirable. Instead, I think we need to work for balance. I enjoy Netflix, and I depend on my computer for so many things. I’m planning to get an IPhone. I like technology, but I need to keep it in perspective. I don’t want to quit reading books, playing board games, going for walks, etc. I need to maintain a balance.
As parents, it is our job to help our kids keep that balance. We need to set limits and tell them why. We need to let them be bored and help them learn how to deal with that. We need to give them the advantages of childhood – the time and opportunities to play, to explore and to grow.
Share your thoughts
blog comments powered by Disqus