Between reality TV, Facebook, Twitter and cell phones, there’s never a need to imagine what someone is doing, thinking or eating. I’m worried our younger generations are going to lose the ability to imagine.
The days of being entertained by watching clouds or making necklaces out of dandelions are long gone. Kids who choose to play with imaginary friends instead of real ones are considered socially challenged and those who have an abundance of energy are medicated instead of encouraged to play outside for hours at a time to release their liveliness which doesn’t fit into the social acceptance of the current times.
It’s hard to know if there were any kids who were hyper when I was young, as by day’s end everyone was worn out. From riding bikes to building forts if we weren’t worn out from being physical all day our minds certainly were from using our imagination. We didn’t need more than a couple of blankets and clothespins to make a tent or just our bikes to pretend to be cops and robbers. I’m not surprised kids don’t want to play good guys and bad guys nowadays as they’re probably scared to even pretend as the reality of crime is brought into their living rooms every day through violence seen on TV and video games.
Our young people are taught through the actions of adults and what they are witnessing is a generation of technology freaks who would rather sit in front of the computer than sit on the front porch and enjoy the sunset. Taking long walks has been replaced with the fast train to nowhere as we suck in as much technology as they will feed us. The need to be constantly stimulated has pushed the need to have imaginations completely out of the picture.
Shouldn’t we think it odd two-year-olds already know the concept of how to use a mouse and keyboard on the computer or can operate your iPhone better than you can. Kids who are sent to their room for punishment, with the world at their fingertips, are not learning what consequences are. They don’t have the chance to learn how to sit and be quiet with electronic games readily available to entertain them.
I’ve been pushed up on my soapbox again as I want my grandkids to have the same childhood experiences I had. I suppose theirs will be just as good, but in a different way. I’ll just have to show them the way it used to be done.
When they pack their bags for Gig’s it will need to include play clothes that can get dirty, shoes to run in and the electronics can stay at home. All imaginary friends are welcome.
A day at Gigi’s will be full of dirt digging, bug finding and cow watching. Imagine that.
Sandy Turner writes about family and lives in the Midwest.