With less than a week left of school, I signed the little ones up for swimming lessons. Today I'll put the finishing touches on our camp schedule. It will be an active summer, blessed with brief periods of down time. Still I'm sure they will complain, I'm bored, as soon as they have a moment to breathe.
Kids today love to be stimulated and entertained. My kids included. And they want it all, all the time. But do they need it all, all the time?
Kids today are fighting, what looks to be, a losing battle when it comes to knowing how to entertain themselves. The instant their minds are free to think of something to do, the TV or video synapse fires and despite being surrounded by enough toys and activities to fill ToysRUs, sadly the TV is the only thing that will do.
Of course, I'm as much to blame as the next parent. I send my own to camp, and line up opportunities for them so they much to look forward to. By these last days of school, I've filled their entertainment quota without giving them much of a chance to pause between the classroom and camp tents. But I'm hoping this summer will be different. Last night, over dinner I mentioned the knitting, and sewing, and writing, and painting I'd like them to delve into over the summer, during their noncamp weeks. All activities they enjoy -- all activities that are forgotten when the TV synapse fires.
To drive the point home I'm going to post a list on the refrigerator. It would be music to my ears if they asked if we could all play a game, or knit, or work on another quilt, rather than plug in to the tube. High hopes for the long hot summer ahead.
1 comment:
Have they asked yet?
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