Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Sure, let's rope those kids into internet addiction earlier...

I read this Washington Post article with a measure of disgust. I'm a parent, of five children and while I believe the internet is an amazing resource, we already have taken so much away from our children as real world experiences that this to me was too far. Children used to be encouraged to play and to imagine on their own, not turn into future World of Warcraft addicts where they have to pulled away from the computer and then the real life world seems boring. They are already "plugged in" even earlier than they should be, look at the numbers of young children who have cell phones. Look at the obesity rate for children, it is in direct corelation to the increasing ways we as parents allow them to be electronically entertained as opposed to walking, or riding a bike or even something as simple as tag...

My youngest is 12, she is allowed to use the internet but she is monitored and her time is limited. Something like this from the Post article:

Last week, one of Megan Leffew's friends held a birthday party for her hippo, Cotton Candy, right in the middle of the Leffew family dinner. Megan excused herself from the table to log on to the Webkinz site, where four other girls were waiting. They played a four-in-a-row game and exchanged virtual presents. (Megan gave Cotton Candy a gumball machine and a snowflake sweater.) There were a birthday cake and goodie bags -- and then Megan's mom, Sandra, finally persuaded her to come back to real-world dinner.

Would never happen in my house, and I really have to wonder about what kind of parents this country has if that would be acceptable in theirs...

1 comment:

Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny) said...

Lisa,

There you go, in your home you are in charge.

However, your's is the exception; in MANY, MANY other homes, the children run things and it won't be getting better any time soon. . .