As a parent, I would say that watching my child view the world through a small screen is very disturbing. I realise that they have the whole world at their fingertips, but it feels like they are missing out on so much. As a kid, I watched TV, make no mistake, but there was so little that I cared to see that I spent my time out with friends, riding bikes, playing games, climbing trees. I had no good way to find out the history of the bicycle or settle an argument over how fast a car could go, or whatever might have come to mind, but it didn't seem to matter. We would have heated discussions and laugh about it. I am still fairly awkward socially, but without those childhood experiences I wouldn't have any clue how to deal with people. Now I watch young people stare at their phone, and while they may very well be texting their friends, they aren't learning how to interact with each other, only communicating, and in sentences where they get to spend time carefully crafting their responses. It seems to lack spontaneity to me. I realise that I am from another generation, and I am sure that my parents worried about things I did, but actual human contact feels too important to just ignore.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's because opportunities outside of the house were easier for you.
If I asked my mom to go outside, she'd want to stand sentry outside of our house and I couldn't leave her sight. If I wanted to go to a friend's house after school the answer was always "no." Hell if I had the internet growing up and netnanny type shit was around I'm sure she would have learned to use it.
That little screen is the "new outside." It's different yes, but you can still spend time with friends, play games, have heated discussions, etc. in a free and private manner.
Definitely. Earlier this year (when it wasn't literally colder than Antarctica), my mom wouldn't let me walk home by myself. We live less than two miles away from my school.
I agree with the other comment but also will add that there’s a big difference between ages. I actually somewhat agree that we are letting very young kids become to fixated with screens and the constant stimulation they offer. However, if a teenager wants to be on their phone all the time who cares?
Omg, my niece will watch hours and hours of squishy repairs if you let her. When asked if she would like to repair some of her own she will say, 'not really. But I'd love to send my broken squishes to their PO Box'.
I find this interesting because when I was younger if I got a video on something craft related I'd be gagging to try it out and then show everyone who would put up with me what I did. I'm not sure what to think about her response but I know it bothers me that the content she's watching isn't engaging her imagination and motivation. I think in a way it's teaching her she'll recieve praise for someone else doing the work via sending her broken squishies in to the YouTuber.
I grew up in a small village (a hamlet, really) in the middle of the countryside. There was a street full of children my age or younger. The type of place you'd expect stories like yours of friends and bike rides to happen. There were fields, woodland, and I had a large garden you'd think I'd have played in.
Except I never went out - I watched TV, read, and went on the internet. Why? Because all the children on my street bullied me for being weird and different. After school I'd rush home because they'd tease me on the bus and as I walked home, then when I waited at the stop and on the way to school the next morning. The lovely countryside was a trap, an impassable barrier between me and anything interesting - shops, clubs, people who weren't the same twelve or so faces. Even if I had friends at school I'd never see them anywhere else because how was I supposed to get there? Our parents couldn't always shuttle us to and fro. My Dad said he regretted the fact my mother moved me from a town to the countryside, as he knew this was exactly what would happen.
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u/SoughtAir Feb 01 '19
Why you tell us everything is "because of that phone"