a simpler era
My entire body, it seems, is aching. Erin and I began a new, intense workout program that has left all the major muscles in my body aching. Chest? Yep. Back? You better believe it. Quads? Yes yes yes and yes. But it does feel good to know that we're back on our fitness routine. I took nearly the entire month of December off from the gym, due to my injured wrist, and it definitely showed at the gym.
We spent the better part of the day at the cathedral of modern consumerism, Ikea. As someone with more than a passing interest in all things design, I am continually impressed with Ikea. They seem to have thought of everything when it comes to the Ikea Experience. I've heard varying opinions on the quality of their products, but I think the dissenters have probably never stepped foot in a store to touch the merchandise. They've got stuff for every budget, and for the most part the stuff looks nice. And they have awesome Swedish meatballs and 50-cent hot dogs. What more do you need?
As I've been watching Kai develop, I'm beginning to form an opinion on the toys of childhood. I've noticed that more and more of the modern-day electronic toys are programmed to give some sort of instant gratification. Press this button, and a lullaby plays. Everything, it seems, makes some kind of annoying noise. And yet, we've found over time that some of Kai's favorite toys have been the ones that don't do anything. Wooden spoons, Tupperware, and teddy bears come to mind. What I'm beginning to believe is that the more we insert technology into our children's gadgets, the more we breed a generation that lives on instant gratification. More. Now. An entire generation of people that cannot wait. I remember reading a statistic that teenagers look at a web page for approximately 3 seconds before deciding whether or not to stay or click on to the next site.
Are our children's toys contributing to an overall attention deficit?
I'm not against all of those electronic, noise-making toys. My house has its fair share of them, in fact. However I do notice that Kai interacts differently with the more "rustic" toys. They hold his attention longer and seem to engage him differently. We just got him a wooden bead rollercoaster, which is fascinating to him and is something that requires him to figure it out. It's an active toy that develops an active imagination. It makes me wonder if all of these passive toys (and don't kid yourself, hitting a button to play a song is passive) are creating an attention-deficit-disorder epidemic that we all have to deal with.
I remember as a child one of my favorite things to do was play with my Legos. Some of you had blocks, Lincoln Logs, or Erector Sets, but they all accomplished the same thing. An interactive toy that required active participation and imagination and bred that essential virtue of patience.
I don't know if it's the right thing for everyone, but I think it might be a good idea if our kids learned to appreciate the toys of a simpler era.
We spent the better part of the day at the cathedral of modern consumerism, Ikea. As someone with more than a passing interest in all things design, I am continually impressed with Ikea. They seem to have thought of everything when it comes to the Ikea Experience. I've heard varying opinions on the quality of their products, but I think the dissenters have probably never stepped foot in a store to touch the merchandise. They've got stuff for every budget, and for the most part the stuff looks nice. And they have awesome Swedish meatballs and 50-cent hot dogs. What more do you need?
As I've been watching Kai develop, I'm beginning to form an opinion on the toys of childhood. I've noticed that more and more of the modern-day electronic toys are programmed to give some sort of instant gratification. Press this button, and a lullaby plays. Everything, it seems, makes some kind of annoying noise. And yet, we've found over time that some of Kai's favorite toys have been the ones that don't do anything. Wooden spoons, Tupperware, and teddy bears come to mind. What I'm beginning to believe is that the more we insert technology into our children's gadgets, the more we breed a generation that lives on instant gratification. More. Now. An entire generation of people that cannot wait. I remember reading a statistic that teenagers look at a web page for approximately 3 seconds before deciding whether or not to stay or click on to the next site.
Are our children's toys contributing to an overall attention deficit?
I'm not against all of those electronic, noise-making toys. My house has its fair share of them, in fact. However I do notice that Kai interacts differently with the more "rustic" toys. They hold his attention longer and seem to engage him differently. We just got him a wooden bead rollercoaster, which is fascinating to him and is something that requires him to figure it out. It's an active toy that develops an active imagination. It makes me wonder if all of these passive toys (and don't kid yourself, hitting a button to play a song is passive) are creating an attention-deficit-disorder epidemic that we all have to deal with.
I remember as a child one of my favorite things to do was play with my Legos. Some of you had blocks, Lincoln Logs, or Erector Sets, but they all accomplished the same thing. An interactive toy that required active participation and imagination and bred that essential virtue of patience.
I don't know if it's the right thing for everyone, but I think it might be a good idea if our kids learned to appreciate the toys of a simpler era.
Labels: ADD, ikea, imagination, legos, toys
posted by wine daddy at
11:12 PM
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