On unplugging my children: Iris, Lucian, and I took a trip to Toys R Us yesterday with the mission of finding a Thomas the Train backpack for Lucian. He was very excited, as this was a big reward for him and his successful effort with potty training (hell be starting preschool in September at St. Gabes with Iris). We located just the right backpack in under three minutes, and then spent the next half hour or so browsing the store. It was in the doll aisle that I had a bit of an epiphany: we might be living in the 21st century, but that doesnt necessitate that I raise typical 21st century children. I watched both of my kids oooh and aaah over toys that have the purpose of stimulating and encouraging IMAGINATION: dress up clothes, dolls, play kitchens, train sets, giant stuffed animals, ect. Seriously, there was a Victorian doll mansion that all THREE of us drooled over. We gave up TV in March, but Iris and Lucian certainly watch movies and YouTube. They have childrens electronic gadgets, and theyre both easily able to operate our phones. We keep an eye on their usage, and we certainly have not purchased any actual devices for them. Weve always encouraged books over videos and the like, but kids seem drawn to the electronic stuff. Way. Too. Much. In my opinion. They get irritable and downright crabby after too much visual stimulation. Their eyes glaze over after a few shows. Thats one of the reasons we so gladly got rid of the television. Yesterday, in the doll aisle, I realized that ditching the TV may not be enough for me. Im unplugging the kids. They probably wont be too happy about it at first. Tough. I am the parent, and despite our culture telling us otherwise, I am the gatekeeper. I am the decision maker for two small, impressionable, and beautiful minds. I CAN control what they see and what they do in this house, and commercials, advertising, and banal mind-numbing reality TV (on an actual TV or a computer screen) will not be shaping those minds HERE. Theyre bombarded as soon as they set foot out the door, and theyll spend most of their lives attached to and dependent on some device. They use them at school, so its not like they wont get practice with operating. But here, in our house, we read. We talk. We play games, dolls, dress up, paint, birdwatch, make crafts, and enjoy silence. This is my resolution. Were already halfway there, and Im excited about going all the way. Well watch videos and movies together sometimes, and well snuggle and share popcorn. I adore mid-20th century TV, and of course I want to share those shows with my kids. But they simply wont have access to electronics on their whim. We dont really know how these things affect our brains long-term. I DO know, however, that if the Brontë kids had vegged in front of the tube or on an iPad all day I probably wouldnt have two of my favorite books. If Seths childhood was spent on minecraft, he wouldnt be the intensely driven artist that he is today. I honestly believe that. So, Im unplugging the kids. More trips to the toy store to buy honest-to-goodness TOYS. They are pushed to grow up and shed childhood so quickly. I want my kids to live like KIDS. The point of this post was to prompt conversation with other folks, parents especially. Whats your opinion?
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:47:30 +0000
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