fuzzzerd comments on When Boys Stop Reading, Something Else Fills the Void

[–] jpreston1986@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago (23 children)

When I have kids there will be a mandatory reading period everyday before bed, and limited screen time.

[–] Libb@piefed.social 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 children)

My parents did not allow a TV in our home until I was 8 or maybe 9. And even then I was only allowed very short viewing times during the week days and week-ends. I had books and comics, toys, board games and actual friends to play with, at home or, brace yourself, outside and without any adult supervision.

Sure that happened many decades ago, in the previous century. But it did not kill me, far from it.

edit: The key thing is that my parents too had other activities than watching a screen. Things I watched them doing and that I naturally tried to imitate.

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[–] fuzzzerd@programming.dev 5 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

The issue today, is that

friends to play with

is a luxury many don't have, at least not the way it was.

The other kids have devices, internet, etc and that's how they connect, so if you aren't meeting them there you're getting left out.

I don't say this to suggest you throw up your hands and give up, but it's a real complication to abstinence only plans.

My kid is just entering this stage and it's really tough.

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[–] Libb@piefed.social 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

is a luxury many don’t have, at least not the way it was.

I understand your point but friendship was never a luxury, it was the one thing that was available to all, no matter their social status and income.

What it was the repetition of actually meeting other people and spending enough time with them, learning to know them. That was also what helped us all learn to... socialize outside of the 'close family bound'.

At least as important, and obviously in such short supply nowadays, it also taught us to accept as something OK that our friends needed not to be perfect, and neither did we had to be perfect.

The exact things screens seem to have taken away from younger gens. A real shit deal for those kids, in my humble opinion

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[–] fuzzzerd@programming.dev 3 points 3 weeks ago

I think we agree! My point is that if all the other kids are burried in screens and social media, it doesn't matter if you/your kid are not, because the opportunity to connect is much smaller.

Sire there's other kids that aren't lost in screens, and that's great, but they are becoming a endangered species. As a parent it's hard to put your kid into that place.

I think education and parenting is the right solution, teaching kids how to use these things safely and effectively, but with limits. Movements like the no phones until 18 or whatever only work if everyone is bought in and that isn't going to happen.

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[–] DrBanjo@reddthat.com 1 point 3 weeks ago (1 child)

There's a recent documentary about this - Toy Story 5 🙃

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[–] fuzzzerd@programming.dev 1 point 3 weeks ago

I lost touch with that franchise after the first movie, but I'll check it out. Sounds like an interesting concept to be working through in a movie setting.