There’s an interesting question sent by a parent after reading an article from this eight-year-old blog.
The question: “What is the most radical parenting decision you’ve ever made?”
My answer (and I know Jeff will agree): “To never get a TV.”
I cannot remember exactly how we reached this decision. But we both realized early on that reading is a habit that we should instill in our children. In an age where electronic gadgets have taken over human interaction, my husband, who writes love letters, said that we need to protect our children from what could be the negative impacts of overexposure to television and other electronic gadgets such as tabletd and mobile phones.
The mutants spend more time reading than watching anything on-screen. The twins were three months old when they physically held books. That was when we knew how strong they were. The last eight years of being parents to three children, we have learned and unlearned several habits pertaining to their exposure to gadgets. We do not have a TV but we have a desktop computer that is for everyone’s use and that is where they also watch movies. Weekdays are for one-hour educational shows. Cartoons are okay on Saturday daytime, two hours max. We now watch the movie versions/adaptations of the books we read.
Because I noticed early on how childreb can be sponges that absorb everything that I say and do, I made the conscious decision to let them catch me reading, studying, and taking notes.
Children hooked to gadgets or the screen is in for a dangerous lifestyle. I was part of a psychological intervention program involving children with Internet use disorder/Internet addiction/technology addiction. Luoy kaayo ang bata. Too many children are victims of the adults’ neglect and/or non-recognition of the fact that gadgets can be detrimental to a child’s health. I have seen here cases nga mura gyud og effect sa illegal drugs ang tech addiction. Magkurog, panington nga di makagunit og gadgets. Technology addiction is real and it can stripped off our children from experiences that will help them grow as healthy, happy adults.
I am not saying that gadgets are bad; they are not. They are learning tools. But let us remember, we are the human beings here. Hence, we should be able to control the usage of gadgets and NOT the other way around. We are the parents too so let’s not have any screen babysit our children. Human interaction (e.g. talking to you and playing outside with other children) and the physical experience of holding a book are more important especially during the early years
Let us limit our children’s screen time. Let us limit their exposure to gadgets.
Our respective communities are opening after two years of being in fear of Covid-19. Let us allow our children to interact with people and let us give them the experience of reading a physical book.
