@ruza17 3 October 2020

Why is it easier to give a child a mobile phone than to deal with it?

I remember when my older daughter was a year - a year and a half old, every night, before going to bed, I told her a story. I ask, Boko, what story do you want me to tell you, and she answers: "Mom, tell Goldilocks " Why did that again, so I told you that story last night? Because in the story mom mom, dad bear and Boka bear. A small problem arose when I gave birth to a younger daughter (she was two years old at the time) but it was very quickly overcome by having to put another bear in the story. At that early age, she knew how to speak fluently and to think logically, to be able to explain why she wanted something. I work in high school. I see generations coming to us who have an extremely poor vocabulary. In class I try to use only simple words to understand me, and even then it happens that they do not know what a word means, so I have to explain it to them. I wondered why that was so? Well, speech is learned in the earliest childhood. Then I remember small children from my environment who at the age of two or three know how to say only yes and no, possibly using words that only their family members understand. And they all consider it normal. What do they have in common? They don't lack anything, thank God, because when you ask them about flowers, water, sky - they will point in that direction. If you ask for a clip, they will bring it. If you ask where mom is, she'll look at the gate. But he will hardly speak. At best, you will get a "yes", "no", facial expressions or gestures.

What is the problem? All these children spend a lot of time with their phone and tablet. They don't know how to walk on their own and say "mom", but they know how to turn on the phone and use their fingers to get what they need. They know where the games and YouTube are. And for hours, from early morning, in their pajamas, the unwashed look at the screen. They wake up with him and lie down. If someone tries to steal it from them, there is crying, throwing, hysteria. In order not to listen to him, the kidnappers quickly return the toy - for the sake of peace in the house. And your personal. Screens are also their favorite in the car, especially if the ride is long. They also watch it in GSP's trucking vehicles. While waiting for an examination at the health center. While riding shopping carts in supermarkets. During the swimming break. When parents still want to sleep. To be comforted if they cry. The list is long, and there is one thing behind it. Line of least resistance. It is easier to put a phone in a child's hands than to deal with it. Answer a hundred questions, and you're tired of everything. And you want to drink coffee in peace. And you barely fit an appointment with a friend you haven't seen in a long time. And just get some more sleep. And to type this message again. The boss also writes to you. And just a favorite band released a new video. But the child needs time, patience, attention. And you really want to provide them, but not in a car while traveling on vacation, because vacation has just begun, you will dedicate yourself to it when you arrive at your desired destination. And there you will already find another excuse. You also find justification while waiting in line with your child for anything. Because so that he wouldn't ask you when he will, when he will, when he will - you turn on his screen and everything is fine. No questions, no problems. If someone asks you "Why don't you dedicate yourself a little to the child?", You will start with the story of how you work like a horse, you are harassed at work, you run shopping, you pay bills, you buy things for that same child - when to arrive!

And where are you in the whole story? What about your free time? And like this, you give him the phone and everyone is happy. Both you and the child. Everyone is drugged by their screen. God forbid that someone asks you "How are you not sorry that a child looks at his mobile phone all day, because that is not good for his brain or eyesight". When you give two answers from the cannon. The first is "You don't have a child, so you don't know." And others "Children were different when you were parents, now are different times." And a child as a child, no one asks him anything, no one tells him, they give him a screen, and there it is colorful, cheerful, fast. He just clicks, and here's his cartoon, music, whatever he wants. He has everything, without pain. He doesn't have to talk, think, imagine, research. There's a smart device. And it is used by both dad and mom. They give it to you too. What stories, playing in nature, reading, research. There is no thousand why - a thousand because. And then I wonder why little kids barely answer my questions. And what they don't talk about. Well they have no need. Let's face it, my daughters grew up at other times, but even then they had a computer that they used occasionally, watched cartoons, but also arranged Lego bricks, made puzzles, played with friends, first listened and then read books ... . Finally, let me tell you what I saw some time ago. I was in a park where there is also a children's playground. my attention was drawn to a girl who kept shouting, "Mom. Mom, Mom." He wants to show her how to climb on the devices, but mom is constantly looking at the phone and not raising her head. The girl eventually runs to the phone and blocks the screen with her fist. Mom is ugly and angrily points her finger back to the playground. A friend approaches her and asks why she is crying. "I wanted my mom to see how big I was when I got up."