When we were
kids, my brother and cousins and I spent HOURS, literal HOURS, playing
outside. We played tag and flashlight
tag. We played Cops and Robbers. (Side note: even though my kids know this game, I can't even let them play it in public for fear of being labeled as "Violent" children!) We played baseball (that never fared well for
my brother; he had an eye for bees' nests!). We would pick flowers and mix “potions”; we
picked apples from our grandmothers’ trees and fed the cows. We (and by “we,” I mean everyone that knew
how, not including me!) would ride bikes.
We spent entire snow days outside, building snowmen, throwing snowballs
and sledding down our grandmothers’ deck stairs! We would play in the cornfields and woods. We spent so much time OUTSIDE that when we
would finally come inside, we would all just crash!
Somewhere
along the line, things changed. Kids
today spend hours in front of screens.
TV screens. Video game
screens. E-reader screens. Computer screens. Watch screens. Phone screens. Toy screens.
It seems that almost every “hot ticket” toy on the market today has some
sort of screen. Heck, even reading has
gained a screen!
What ever
happened to cracking open a good book?
What happened to tag? Do kids
today even know what mud feels like, squished between their bare toes? Could our kids ever find their way about in
the woods? Are their bodies capable of
climbing a tree?
The question, now, is how can
we combat this screen- embracing generation of play?
One easy way is to get them
outside!
Not only is
the fresh air good for them, but studies have proven major health benefits that
come from being outside. Did you know being
outside benefits you because:
*You soak up
good, ol’ Vitamin D, shown to help prevent Diabetes, MS, Heart Disease, even
Cancer
*Better eye
health! Being in front of a screen can
cause “Computer Vision” and artificial lights can cause nearsightedness
*Circadian
(sun) rhythms = better sleep! Get out in
the sun, the natural light cues can help reset your internal “clock”
*Clean, fresh
air…need I say more?
*Earthing,
absorbing naturally occurring electrons from the earth, done by putting bare
feet to earth, helps you feel more energized and “grounded,” go figure!
*Exercise. Get outside.
Run. Jump. Skip.
Frolic. Climb. Do something.
*Psychological
help. Can you be really angry when you
are staring at God’s marvelous creation?
After my Grandmother passed, we headed straight to the beach. I needed to feel overwhelmed by something
greater than my grief. What is any
bigger than His Ocean? Breathe deep.
Notes above on
health benefits from: http://appalachiantrials.com/scientifically-supported-reasons-get-outside/
It is sad to
think…Kids today don’t even know the lost art of Red Rover or Clean Out
Your Own Backyard!
Besides
being locked up, indoors, in front of a screen, there is something else to be
said for children today. They don’t know
how to play.
In a single
day, I cannot tell you how many photos I see on Facebook of children... sitting in front
of screens. Some people are showing us
their INFANTS in front of the screens.
Why does a baby need to watch TV?
This is a learned behavior. Kids
do not come into this world thinking, “Gee, I’d really love to watch some Sesame
Street before I learn to roll over.” Often times, we plop our kids in front of
a screen because it is the easiest way to find 5 minutes to get anything
accomplished. I am guilty of this, too. When you have not showered in 2 days and the
laundry is so piled up, we need a few minutes to get things done. But, when did we decide that the TV was a
babysitter? When did we decide that the
TV was better for our kids than teaching them to occupy themselves? We are setting our kids up for failure. They need not always be entertained.
Kids today
do not know how to play. They have a
constant need for our attention, approval, help, guidance, assistance. When did we start thinking for our kids? They are innately smart and independent. They are each born with talents and gifts
from God. They may not all thrive at
exactly the same things. One child may
be a gifted reader that thoroughly enjoys succumbing to another world within
those pages. Another child may find
great pleasure in building with blocks and Legos, dreaming up big cities with
towers and bridges. Certain children
find release in art, creating the next Mona Lisa. Given the chance, kids can find their own
joy. We can give our children that gift
by stepping back. Allow free play and
open access to materials. We can, in
turn, give ourselves a 10 minute, uninterrupted shower!
We need to
give our kids the freedom to learn through play, to make mistakes, to make
messes, to figure out solutions on their own.
We need not always jump right in.
“Well, Mommy, I don’t know how to…”
or “But, Mommy, what should I…” Given
the time and opportunity, (Supervised, yes.
Led, no.) those statements can turn into “Mommy, look what I did!” and “Mommy, I figured it out!”
These are
valuable life lessons that we need to start instilling in our children early
on. There will not always be someone
there to figure it out for you. There
will not always be someone there to fix it for you. You are all thinking, “But I am their
mom! Of course I will always be there!” But, one day, you may not. We are never guaranteed a single day more
upon this earth with our precious babes.
How can we help them today to prepare them for a day in the future when
we may not be there to help?
The next
time you think you need to step in and show your kids how to build that fort or
which art supplies are best, STOP. Take
a breath. They may just surprise
you. After all, you would not want to interrupt
DaVinci’s next master piece, now would you?
