We love kids by EXPECTING them to
Focus on Real People & Their Real World
In our 21st century world,
our kids need to develop the ability to powerfully choose what to focus on.
Just as our culture exploits snacky eating habits, so too we indulge in snacky media habits. We graze over pointless information and count it a normal part of life.
It should not be.
In order for our children to develop capacity to engage with real people and their real world in an intentional way, we must limit their media intake far beyond anything socially considered normal.
Enforceable Expectation:
Children and adults are welcome to have access to media which is clearly helping them grow in their ability to focus on real people and real places.
If a media source or type becomes distracting or just unhelpful, access to it is ended. (It is absolutely imperative adults model this in their own lives so they can lead children in it, not act as the hypocritical media police.)
All of us have our own ideas about what media is worth focusing on, but it is clear the habits and norms of the modern world are not serving us very well.
By increasing our expectations around kids' capacity to engage with the people and places right in front of them, we may set them up to be "out of touch" with popular media or current affairs, but we will also set them up to be "in touch" with those people and places right around them.
Additional Benefits:
Kids who focus on real people and their real world will also . . .
1. Make friends with people who are similarly capable.
2. Learn from, not just consume, the media they do engage with.
3. Enjoy a less-cluttered mind.
4. Move their bodies more.
5. Be better conversationalists.
6. Be ready to navigate a world that is only getting louder and more distracted.
Ideas for Implementation:
Help kids focus on real people and their real world by . . .
1. Doing away with all unstructured television, youtube, or movie consumption.
2. Watching the rare show or video with them, surrounded by intentional conversation.
3. Refusing to let children have their own phones or devices.
4. Having a fixed time every day where you come together to talk with kids and share about your collective real world.
5. Reading and discussing classic literature with children.
6. Discussing history with kids, rather than current events.
7. Going without your own phone/technology, except for scheduled times.
8. Engaging with kids in their real world of play.
9. Serving people with kids who need help and love right around you.
10. Playing music with kids, not just consuming it.
What are your expectations around media
and a child's ability to focus on real people and their real world?
Pick one of the above ideas to begin growing and do your kids the favor of helping them focus in a distracted world.
For more on critically analyzing media and technology usage,
visit here and go to the "Technology: Recognizing the Pitfalls" topic tab.
For more on raising your expectations for children,
visit here and go to the "High Expectations" topic tab.