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Addicted To Screens?
 Did anyone see that episode on Oprah about the family that decided to give up their computers and televisions for a week? They have a five year old boy who became very angry and depressed when he couldn't play his video games. He threw tantrums, curled up in a fetal position and refused to engage in alternative activities. Sounds like he was going through withdrawal! An addiction, you say? Well, it's a very close cousin at the very least. There was never any mention of playing with other toys and CREATING FUN ON HIS OWN! And forget about reading a book or playing outside. In fact, his mother even mentioned that he never wanted to do anything except play video games and that she not only allowed him to do so, but provided a ready supply of video games. What is going on here? He's five! DID HE HAVE ANY OTHER TOYS?
This is a sad commentary on childhood in the twenty-first century. While appropriate TV shows and electronic games have their place, they are no substitute for independent, imaginative play that is essential to creative development. There's a pretty small window of time when a child's imaginative abilities are at their peak. Why not take advantage of that? Kids need some balance, and they need clear thinking adults to provide it for them. Children shouldn't be calling the shots because they don't know what's best for them. That's where parents come in! Providing simple toys that will allow kids to think creatively, make up stories and play cooperatively with each other will go a long way in developing their imaginations, not to mention their social skills. THEY HAVE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES TO LOOK AT SCREENS! DON'T RUSH IT!
Happy Trails
 I'm always amazed by the way children can entertain themselves with their imaginations no matter what is going on around them. They seem to be oblivious to everything except what they are dreaming about in their own private little worlds. This was really brought home to me the other day when we attended the grand opening of a large store, complete with its own restaurant. I volunteered to hold an empty table while someone else stood in line to order food, so I had a chance to look around at all the other families who were doing the same thing. A father and his son, who was about three or four years old, were sitting at the table in front of me and this little kid was having a tough time sitting still. The restaurant was corralled off from the rest of the shopping area by a low fence that consisted of large log rails. The little boy eventually found a comfortable spot on the top log and sat straddling the fence, facing my direction and gazing off into space. For whatever reason, his dad asked him to turn around and face the other way, perhaps because he thought the child was bothering me. I heard the little boy answer, "But Dad, the pony is facing this way." It was then that I realized the boy had been quietly riding his horse in his imagination. Maybe he had been envisioning a cattle herd up ahead or even an Indian village as he firmly gripped the reigns and guided his horse across open fields. Dad played it smart by asking him to turn the pony around so he could face in the direction of his family's table. His son happily complied because after all, cowboys often have to seek greener pastures. The little boy pretended to ride the range until his food arrived--he was just galloping in a different direction. I'm sure the pony needed a change of scenery anyway. Animals get bored, too. Simplicity is key to childhood. Simple, basic playthings seem to bring out the purest form of play in children. Kids thrive on creating their own worlds of fantasy and make believe, and they don't need a lot of bells and whistles to do it. That's not what's needed for a toy to be amusing and innovative. Just ask that little boy riding his log horse. The real beauty of toys should be in their ability to encourage the imagination. Of course, that's the standard Pilly uses. What else would you expect from the "Champion of the Imagination"? |
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