A couple of weeks ago i posted an interesting post about allowing kids to do dangerous stuff like drive a car etc…
Well, play must be the topic of the season cos today Nino @ Cease, Cows, Life is Short! is reviewing a new book – The Case for Make-Believe.
i’m completely in support of what the book proposes – based on the review by Nino (i have not read the book yet). Children should most definitely be given more imaginative play time – however, having said that – i also commented that i think there needs to be a balance between that & what i shall call “Tech-Media Time”.
Basically in this tech-age & info-age & media-age – we need our kids to know about these things – so that they can use them to their advantage – of cos this also involves teaching them about the ills of it. Just like Ted (see here) proposes allowing kids to handle things like saws so they can build stuff but at the same time we teach them how to handle the saw correctly so they don’t hurt themselves.
Watching lots of TV/Movies & being on the computer does not rule out imaginative play in a child’s life – one just has to have a balance. i remember watching loads of TV & movies as a child – in fact, watching TV together is still a family pastime @ my mum’s, we all pile onto my parents’ bed & watch TV in their room – yes, we have a sitting/living room – but it’s just more fun in their room, we laughed together, gained knowledge together, are shocked & scared together – it is a real interaction time in my home life while i was growing up & still is when i go back to visit. i also remember that i spent lots of time playing with my imaginary friends & toys & i read tons of books – i used to be able to read 1x thick novel a day (oh the carefree days of being a student ;P). i still am a great book worm – just trying to find time between being a wife, a mum & being involved in a few activities & running a book biz – it all leaves little time to truly sit & read. But i strive to find more time always…
syc
trippingdifferently 