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A message from Wendy about this site
In Praise of Simplicity...in Life and in Learning – February 3, 2012
These days, there are many smart people producing blogs, vlogs, Facebook and
other social networking commentaries about kids and
learning. So you’ll pardon me if I haven’t been writing on this blog much
lately, in favor of tending to some other important things…and taking a break
from the look of my own words. However, my cache of
ideas to share and happenings about which I could react is overflowing, so I
will try to spend some more time on this little corner of the Internet. Mostly,
I’ll be pruning, discarding, and simplifying because, if you haven’t noticed, I
much prefer white space over clutter, a few well-chosen words over
loquaciousness.
I am in the minority that way. Simplicity is under-rated – even scorned – in our
complicated culture. We multi-task; we value the ability to engage in social
small talk; complexity is revered, even when it’s camouflage for emptiness;
everyone and everything is analyzed and explained ad nauseum, then it’s labeled.
What we call “food” is often nothing but a complicated mixture of chemicals and
other non-food materials. Simply sitting and enjoying the passing day is scorned
as wasting time (or worse, the activity of someone who
has nothing “better” to do; simple, unorganized play is seen to be nonproductive. Parenting
is complicated; learning is difficult…education is a complex industry.
So it’s no surprise that parents who want to separate their
families from that industry feel like they’ve jumped out of a plane into an
alien land without a parachute. Just being, rather than doing, is harder than it
looks! Trusting children to make life and learning choices is
not easy in a world where they are acceptably second-class citizens. So we have the popularity of advice, opinions, methods, rules, and labels.
I’ve written about that many times, from many perspectives.
(You can find those posts using the “blog archives”
and “articles” links
in the sidebar.) But this morning I
read a blog post that captured the issue well. So, in the name of simplicity,
here it is.
Posted: 2012/02/11:35 AM
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 The Great Screen Time Decision –
January 10, 2012
Someone has told me that she is disappointed in my article in the current
issue of Life Learning Magazine about kids and electronic media. (It’s not online.) She
didn’t like the fact that I didn’t tell readers whether they should allow
unlimited computer access, or none, or police it.Life Learning Magazine is not about setting rules for how
to live with kids. It is a forum for sharing ideas, questions, doubts, opinions,
experiences, and decision-making processes about non-coercive, active,
interest-led learning from life. It is also a place to give and receive support
for a very non-traditional way of living with children. But, in the end, each
family translates those ideas into their life in slightly different ways. And
that is as it should be.
True to that, the article suggests that readers make their
own decisions regarding screen time (or video game use), based on their family’s
needs, lifestyle, etc. Don’t listen to other people’s so-called expert advice.
Trust your own children’s needs and wants, and they will guide you. For many of
us, technology is one area where we’re prone to react based on our own
preferences, rather than on our children’s.
What do I think? I think that the parental role includes
guidance relative to age and developmental level but that kids can self-regulate
about most things that their parents worry about.
What do I think? I think computers are great. (I use one
for about ten hours a day, but don’t play video games.) If PCs had been
available when our children were young, I’m sure they would have had unlimited
access to them in the same way they used the publishing tools that were in our
home at the time.
What do I think? I think that if we allow our kids to learn
based on their needs and interests, we should try to provide them with the tools
to do that (whatever they may be).
What do I think? I think that if you choose to have a
computer in your home, and you want to live in a non-coercive way with your
children, everyone should be able to use the computer to the degree they need or
want to. Otherwise, the words “trust,” “respect,” and “dignity” are hollow.
But that’s just what I think. I trust you to make up your
own mind! (And don’t forget that life learning is a journey; we are allowed to
change our minds.)
Posted: 2012/01/10
7:45 PM
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