Where Are All The Children?

I'm an old-fashioned kind of mom, I guess.  I had planned on my kids doing school over the summer, at least at half-pace.  Then, life happened.  I was gardening, simplifying, hanging clothes on the line.  Money was an issue, so purchasing supplies wasn't an option at that moment.  So, we took some time off.

One of my battles, however, this summer has been the girls watching TV and wanting to spend most of their time in sedentary, passive activities.  Unfortunately, if the main activity was reading, I wouldn't care.  No... it's mindless watching of television, mindless time on the computer playing games or messaging friends on Facebook.  It's that Ipod touch that I genuinely regret getting for the teenager since that is all she wants to do is play with that stupid thing.

I usually have enough after a bit and turn off the television.  "Go Outside!" Has become a familiar phrase in my house.

Then, I noticed the park seemed empty... a lot!  the teenagers would often take my six year old to play with a friend at the park, but most of the time no one else was there.  There would be the occasional mom pushing a baby in a swing.  The library would pack the park on Fridays with Ice Cream Fridays for the children in the summer reading program.

I began to notice it wasn't just the park that was empty.  The streets seemed to be too.  A few years ago, during the summer, there was a lot of noise.  Children were riding bikes or bouncing balls up and down the road.  Where are all the children?

I wonder if all the children are inside their homes, watching hours of mind-numbing Disney drama.  Or are they hooked up to some game system playing video games for hours on end?  Maybe they are hooked up to their social networking site tweeting and posting statuses about all the stuff they aren't doing.

Oh, some are at the local pool.  But what happened to going fishing, playing kick the can or hide-and-seek, riding bikes till the sun sets, building forts, having adventures, JUST BEING A KID?

Wonder why children in America are obese?  Maybe they are inactive.  Wonder why their health is suffering?  Maybe they haven't absorbed any vitamin D because they haven't seen the sun in days.  Wonder why their test scores in school are dropping?  Maybe because they are rewiring their brains with valueless, senseless television shows hour after hour after hour.  Maybe because they are scheduled for this activity and that activity, many of which aren't outside, and they haven't used their imagination in months.

Megan is very imaginative.  When I shut off the idiot box (TV) and make her go outside and play, she creates a whole wonderland of adventures.  This is what being a child is all about!  She helps me in my garden.  She plays with sidewalk chalk, drawing all these wonderful drawings.  She meets her friend at the park and they play together.  She is carefree and happy.

The same goes with my older girls.  When I shut off the television and limit electronic access, suddenly they are reading novels or going to the park to swing or walking the dogs.

I regret getting Satellite.  We had gone without television for five years, and I wanted to splurge for awhile.  I doubt I will keep it when our contract is up.  It's too tempting for the children to be passive and "veg" out in front of shows that I think have questionable values.  Instead, I think we will go back to our Netflix and Christian Cinema rentals.  Then, watching a show was a treat.  It was fun, not this horrible selection of easily accessed trash.  There are a few good shows (mostly reruns from years past when the values were different), but it's quite expensive for the horrible things that are shown.

I've talked to more and more parents that are getting rid of their cable or satellite subscriptions.  They are tired of the horrible values portrayed that their children are watching.  They are frustrated with the price of having the monthly subscription.  Many of the shows they want to watch can be accessed online... with limited or no commercials!  Mostly, they are tired of having to compete with the television for quality time with their families.

In my quest to simplify our lives, I've learned that sometimes ease of access isn't necessarily simple... or best.  Where are all the children?  Well, I can tell you they aren't at the park.  They aren't bouncing balls or riding bikes up and down my street.  I can almost guarantee that a majority of them are glued to the front of a screen of some sort, inside a house.