Honestly, I can't believe that this is our LAST chapter entry! Celia has done the honors, and has written some insightful self-reflections on chapter. I think you'll appreciate how carefully she thinks about her responsibilities as a parent; I believe her experiences are at the very heart of the reasons this book was written. Enjoy!
When I knew that I had to read and write for this chapter, I felt tired and didn’t want to do it. As everyone knows, I am a mom to a 13 month old baby girl. As a child development major, I feel pressured to raise my child the right way. It has been overwhelming to try and find a way to accomplish my goal. When I would go to the stores and stroll by the toy section, looking for an educational toy would give me a headache. Now that Christmas is coming, that headache has doubled. This assignment was tedious, but for many reasons, I am glad that I did it. I feel much more relaxed about raising my daughter knowing that if I play peek-a-boo with her, sing, read or even pretend play, I will be teaching her many things that a toy cannot.
As a student and a working mother it is hard to have a lot of time to “hang out” with my child. I see why parents buy games/videos to entertain their kids. About a month ago I felt pressured to follow that road. My sister came to pick up my daughter with my nephews and mom. When they were all situated and ready to go, my nephews popped out their Nintendo DS’s; my daughter, not knowing what they were, looked at the games in awe. My sister said, “Look, she wants one too. I am going to get one for her for Christmas.” Considering my daughter had just turned a year old, my sister’s comment made me panic. I don’t want a child who plays video games more than anything. The idea I have for my child is for her to be happy, play outside and to learn as much as possible in a fun way. I knew that if I allowed or went along with my sister’s idea, I would be giving up my child’s independence. So like the Einstein book says, I reflected, resisted and re-centered. I thought about my daughter and how that would influence her. I realized that I didn’t want her to be modernized and “know” technology at an early age; by resisting and saying no, I would have made Nancy Regan proud. I explained my reasoning and told my sister that books or a doll would be much better. I will say it was hard because as a parent you do want to give your child what you didn’t have and what they “need” to succeed in today’s technological fast-track world. No, instead of a Nintendo DS, my daughter will play with her dolls (Elmo, Bell) and learn at the same time. Most importantly, I will help her, and instead of showing a picture of a tree or a squirrel, I will walk with her at school, a park or outside our house and talk about what we see, even though people have and will look at me weirdly. My daughter may not have a DS but she will be happy with her surroundings, using her imagination and playing just like I did.
I think it's incredibly impressive that you avoided the temptation to get your daughter a lot of technological gadgets. And your walks with your daughter sound fantastic! :)
ReplyDeleteCelia, I think your blog entry was the perfect way to wrap up Einstein and this semester. I think it’s great that you aren’t going to buy your child a DS. I myself am not a fan of young children playing video games. They should be out exploring the world, not sitting around the house. I can always remember playing with toys in my childhood. However, some of my favorite memories are when I got to spend one on one time with my mom or dad. Nothing can replace spending quality time with a parent.
ReplyDelete~Caitlin Stiglich
Finally we have people thinking about other things then video games. I am happy that you want to show your child the world instead of letting her mind be consumed by technology. I believe that many parents use technology as a baby sitter or to keep their children quit. I was practically raised outdoors and loved every moment I was in nature. The world has so much to teach our children that a game can't. At one year a child should be experiencing the world through their senses not a screen. Thank you for showing us that there is hope for future generations.
ReplyDelete-Kodi shiflett
Thank you Cecilia! I get so frustrated with the same pressures. I really dislike how technologically enmeshed children have become. Last summer, I took my twelve-year-old cousin and his friend to Magic Mountain. I was anticipating a long journey where we would talk and laugh. I was so wrong! Instead, he brought his iPod touch and his friend brought his Nintendo DS. They were completely consumed by their technology. I could not hold a continuing conversation with them. I was horrified that after three hours of driving, we basically never spoke to each other. I was so disappointed, that I vowed to not be a facilitator of negative things as a parent.
ReplyDeleteNow that I also have a baby on the way, registering for baby stuff has been overwhelming. It has also been a good challenge. I have gotten to make many of my first parenting decisions even before my baby is born. Many of the toys I get do not have much to them. I want my child to rely on her imagination and her own pace of play in order to be stimulated. I have chosen music I think will be better for her. The music I have chosen is not filled with noise. Instead, the music has purposeful lyrics, distinct sounds, and natural rhythms.
I often have to refocus my attention back to my baby and her needs, rather than the social pressures around technology. I hope I can make good decisions for my baby girl, just like Cecilia has done.
I agree that every mother wants their child to succeed in today’s technological world. Before majoring in child development, I used to think that when I had kids I would teach them their ABC’s and 123’s before they started school. I now have a different perception after taking child development classes. As a mom, you are doing a great job allowing your daughter to learn through her imagination and from playing. I believe that she will grow up and learn what every other child is going to learn. She will learn these things through her own interest and out of free play.
ReplyDeleteHnou Moua
I think it is a great idea that you want your daughter to be less influenced by video games. When I become a parent, that is something I want for my children. I was actually having a conversation about this earlier. When parents don't have the energy or time to spend with their kids, they point them to the T.V or video games. The kids my sister babysits for asked for many video games for Christmas. When I was younger I asked for toys I can use outside. I would want my own children to experience the joys and freedoms of the outside.
ReplyDelete~Alex Jensen
Celia, I am happy that you are using the natural environment and your surroundings to raise your daughter. It is very true that today many parents lose the opportunity, due to work or school. Many parents, like the book mentioned, feel pressure to raise their children the right way. However, the majority end up raising their children wrong. It is important for parents to recognize that children do not need a Nintendo DS or any other technological product to have fun. I do recognize that we live in a world of temptations with those technological products and it is hard to avoid such temptations. Fortunately, if parents feel pressure they can easily reflect, resist and re-center.
ReplyDeleteBelinda Gutierrez Ornelas