Excellent article in The Observer yesterday:
"There is evidence to suggest that this generation of parents who were brought up on videos and instant visual gratification are not going through cooing routines. There are fewer nursery rhymes, less song, storytelling and reading. All this is taken over by TV, which leaves parents free to think about themselves and to work late."
Spot on.
Technorati: Children | Facebook | Observer | Television | Technology
It's interesting that the writer has turned this from getting kids away from things like Arsebook, into getting the parents off of Arsebook (compare the last line of the report with the title of the report).
I agree with the sentiment expressed in the article, but I don't appreciate the sensationalising of it, by making Facebook the new evil. "Bah humbug!"
I must confess to a minor Facebook addiction, but my kid has the most advanced language skills of any two year old I know. I'm not saying this to boast, but to point out that there's more to these things than technology addiction - something that article tackles, but the presentation only hints at.
Posted by: Mike R | October 15, 2007 at 07:24 PM
Thanks Kester, thats a really good article.
cheers
Dave
Posted by: dave crampton | October 15, 2007 at 11:28 PM
I'd agree Mike. And yet, again, no boast involved - more confession needed to be honest - it's only been since my boy reached 3 that I've really noticed how much he needs me to log off and be present. He's changed me in the past few weeks.
Posted by: Kester | October 15, 2007 at 11:40 PM
if you look at a broader range of research, fully present and engaged, eye on eye, face on face contact between parents and their children only happens for a few seconds each day - so this article may have its limitations (as most do), but it is at least pointing us towards something that would, could and should radically change how parents interact for the better with their children - eye engagement is a major factor in children commenting that they 'feel loved and cared for' by their parents - so it makes sense that parental eyes constantly engaged on any 'screen' would have the reverse effect on how children feel - glad that you are finding out all that stuff first hand kester with your little ones - what a sensitive and kind spirited dad you are !
Posted by: julie | October 16, 2007 at 07:11 PM