Am I the Only One?

As I am sitting here, listening to my 5 year old son whine, I wonder if I am the only one who does not let their kids sit in front of the TV, Wii, computer, etc?  I do enjoy playing the games on the Wii, but don’t feel that any of us need to be on there for hours every day.  I also do enjoy watching tv, with and without the kids, but don’t feel it is healthy for them to be parked there all day long.  Maybe it is because I was raised in a more rural setting where we spent most of our time outside playing in the woods or fields.  My brother and I spent most of our time outside in the fresh air, unless it was raining really hard.  If it was light outside, we could be found climbing trees, playing ball tag, or basketball, riding our bikes, or roaming the wooded areas in search of playmates and treasures, and the occasional snake.  Even today, I love to sleep in a tent and cook over a fire.  I don’t need electricity and running water to survive, but I do like my showers.  I am afraid that I am turning my kids into helpless creatures because they are not exposed to the world of nature daily.  We live in a town setting with little green grass, and no real opportunities to experience nature on a daily basis.  Their friends spend most of their time attached to electronic devices and my kids desperately want to follow the same path. 

I believe in a healthy mix of technology and the lack of.  I know that by forbidding the Wii, computer, tv, I am creating a drive to “need” it.  I don’t mind if they watch the occasional tv show or play a game, especially one that gets them up and moving.  I encourage them to ride their bikes, play at the park, and be kids.  My son has given up on his Wii quest momentarily, but I am sure he will be back later.

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