Children Need Experiences

Let me start by saying I have been a parent for 18 years and so much has changed in that short time. I have also been teaching for 22 years and have witnessed many changes in the way we choose to raise our children.  With these changes also came huge advances in technology for families. We have also become a culture of convenience. So what does this all mean?

As a 45 year old each advancement was and is new and exciting to me.  I love being able to DVR my favorite shows or binge watch a series on a Friday night.  I love being able to put away the cookbooks and use my Ipad to look up recipes.  The big clunky phone book has been recycled and replaced with google.  I love texting and Facetime, but I also remember the days before all this new technology gave me instant gratification.  My oldest child seems to be of the age where, although smart phones, apple music etc. were new, they quickly became part of his culture. My younger two children seem to be born into it. Limiting screen time was and continues to be a constant struggle even for myself.  

There are many positives to this new culture, many of which I do not have to go into, however there is scary side to it as well.  Our children are beginning to lack real life concrete experiences.  Board games are played on the computer or tablet.  Books are read on kindles. Cartoons are available 24/7 on over 100 channels, food is made convenient with no mess, activities are structured and scheduled daily.  Your child needs new shoes?  No time to shop? Order them on line and they will be delivered to your house in 2 days.  We no longer have to go to the grocery store.  A box can be delivered to your house with all the ingredients included for dinner. 

What impact does this have on our children?

We are not going to change the world.  This is our new culture, but young minds need concrete real experiences to learn and grow.  I have observed that children today appear to look to adults to help them pass the time.  Parents schedule activities, playdates, gym time, story hour etc.  There is no longer down time.  I remember the days when we got home from school and had to change into our play clothes and went outside until dinner, without our parents watching us!  We made mud pies, forts, played on the swings, just talked with friends.  Take away screens for a day, cancel all activities and encourage your child to play, without you!  You will be amazed at what they actually do, after they tell you they are bored a hundred times!

Children also appear to be lacking in patience.  Everything is readily available to them.  You can order almost whatever you want online, you don't have to wait till Saturday morning to watch your shows, your given a phone to pass the time in a restaurant.  Patience is a wonderful thing.  When you child goes to school this is a skill that is most important to possess.  A teacher does not have the ability to give each child the attention they seek at the exact moment they seek it.  There are several other children who also need her attention.

In the classroom I have observed children's overall abilities to problem solve decrease.  Their fine motor control seems to be suffering as well as the ability to self regulate.

How do we help?
Concrete experiences give children tangible practice.  What happens when I don't pay attention and have control of my movements when playing a board game?  The game pieces turn over.  What happens when I spill my milk?   Get a towel and clean it up.  What will I do when I am waiting for my food at a restaurant?  Talk to your family, play ISpy, color on the sheets given, play tic tac toe.

It is important for children to experience different tastes, touches, smells etc.  They need to explore the world to find out cause and effect.  Life is made pretty easy for us today.  Before we allow our children to rely on technology we must first make sure they possess  the skill needed to be able to accomplish the task without the use of a screen.