embracing TV and Video games - or not
winteryspruce
I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace a philosophy
(unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/unrestricted
video games and television. If a way of thinking is true for you shouldn't it
hold up in all circumstances.
Dede
(unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/unrestricted
video games and television. If a way of thinking is true for you shouldn't it
hold up in all circumstances.
Dede
Joyce Fetteroll
On Sep 26, 2006, at 3:01 AM, winteryspruce wrote:
What we believe to be true comes from an amalgamation of a lifetime
of hundreds of ideas that we've heard and accepted. One new idea can
rarely wipe out a lifetime of old ideas, no matter how contradictory
they seem, no matter how often we see it happen on TV ;-)
What will help is examining *why* you feel as you do about TV and
video games. What are the "truths" that you have in your head about
them? Do they make kids lazy? Are they a useless waste of time? Are
they artificial experiences? Do they present violence and sex in
attractive ways that will influence your children?
Take those ideas out and examine them. Expose them to the light of day.
Lots of the common ones have been covered at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~fetteroll/rejoycing/
(scroll down to the bottom and the links are on the left)
and at:
http://sandradodd.com/tv
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace aIt seems it should be that easy! But it isn't.
> philosophy
> (unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/
> unrestricted
> video games and television. If a way of thinking is true for you
> shouldn't it
> hold up in all circumstances.
What we believe to be true comes from an amalgamation of a lifetime
of hundreds of ideas that we've heard and accepted. One new idea can
rarely wipe out a lifetime of old ideas, no matter how contradictory
they seem, no matter how often we see it happen on TV ;-)
What will help is examining *why* you feel as you do about TV and
video games. What are the "truths" that you have in your head about
them? Do they make kids lazy? Are they a useless waste of time? Are
they artificial experiences? Do they present violence and sex in
attractive ways that will influence your children?
Take those ideas out and examine them. Expose them to the light of day.
Lots of the common ones have been covered at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~fetteroll/rejoycing/
(scroll down to the bottom and the links are on the left)
and at:
http://sandradodd.com/tv
Joyce
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Paula Sjogerman
On Sep 26, 2006, at 2:01 AM, winteryspruce wrote:
unrestricted?" Maybe "mindful watching/playing?"
Are you coming from an always unschooled place or would you be
lifting previous restrictions? If the latter, you might want to go a
little slower with the process.
Those "un" words don't mean that there is no communication between
you and your kids about those topics. Read or re-read Joyce and
Sandra's websites on these topics and see how the ideas are rooted in
trust and ongoing discussion.
HTH,
Paula
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace aMaybe it would help to use different words than "uncensored/
> philosophy
> (unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/
> unrestricted
> video games and television.
unrestricted?" Maybe "mindful watching/playing?"
Are you coming from an always unschooled place or would you be
lifting previous restrictions? If the latter, you might want to go a
little slower with the process.
Those "un" words don't mean that there is no communication between
you and your kids about those topics. Read or re-read Joyce and
Sandra's websites on these topics and see how the ideas are rooted in
trust and ongoing discussion.
HTH,
Paula
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Schuyler
At the heart of unschooling is trust. It is trusting that all children, generally, and your children, specifically, are able to glean what they need from the world without curriculum, without being directed by others, without having to achieve at aptitude tests. It is also trusting that their interests are valuable, that if your child is interested in something it must have inherent value, even if you don't see it.
If you have decided that in your home, in your life, and in your children's lives (while they live under your roof) that you cannot trust them to not be "sucked in" to television or video games, then you are not trusting in your children's interests fully. You are also seeing television as a powerful mesmerizer that will lure your children down a very scary path.
I think if you have passionately embraced unschooling, which is an amazing thing to do, you should be able to take this step as well. Look at television for what it is, free it from the baggage that you've given it. It isn't the opiate of the masses. It is a window, but it is only one of many windows that you can look at the world through. And if you see it as such, and treat it as such, so will your children.
Schuyler
If you have decided that in your home, in your life, and in your children's lives (while they live under your roof) that you cannot trust them to not be "sucked in" to television or video games, then you are not trusting in your children's interests fully. You are also seeing television as a powerful mesmerizer that will lure your children down a very scary path.
I think if you have passionately embraced unschooling, which is an amazing thing to do, you should be able to take this step as well. Look at television for what it is, free it from the baggage that you've given it. It isn't the opiate of the masses. It is a window, but it is only one of many windows that you can look at the world through. And if you see it as such, and treat it as such, so will your children.
Schuyler
----- Original Message -----
From: winteryspruce
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:01 AM
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] embracing TV and Video games - or not
I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace a philosophy
(unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/unrestricted
video games and television. If a way of thinking is true for you shouldn't it
hold up in all circumstances.
Dede
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-If a way of thinking is true for you shouldn't it
hold up in all circumstances. -=-
Seems like it.
-=-I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace a
philosophy
(unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/
unrestricted
video games and television.-=-
I can give you two links that might help you piece this together, if
you'll read them. (They're not as long as that TV section, really!)
One is about living by principles:
http://sandradodd.com/rules
The other is about language. The reason I recommend it is because
you used the words "uncensored" and "unrestricted."
http://sandradodd.com/wordswords
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
hold up in all circumstances. -=-
Seems like it.
-=-I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace a
philosophy
(unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to uncensored/
unrestricted
video games and television.-=-
I can give you two links that might help you piece this together, if
you'll read them. (They're not as long as that TV section, really!)
One is about living by principles:
http://sandradodd.com/rules
The other is about language. The reason I recommend it is because
you used the words "uncensored" and "unrestricted."
http://sandradodd.com/wordswords
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Dede Amescua
THank you for your reply. It helped me to get some clarity on the
issue. Dede
issue. Dede
On Tuesday, September 26, 2006, at 08:27 AM, Schuyler wrote:
> At the heart of unschooling is trust. It is trusting that all
> children, generally, and your children, specifically, are able to
> glean what they need from the world without curriculum, without being
> directed by others, without having to achieve at aptitude tests. It is
> also trusting that their interests are valuable, that if your child is
> interested in something it must have inherent value, even if you don't
> see it.
>
> If you have decided that in your home, in your life, and in your
> children's lives (while they live under your roof) that you cannot
> trust them to not be "sucked in" to television or video games, then
> you are not trusting in your children's interests fully. You are also
> seeing television as a powerful mesmerizer that will lure your
> children down a very scary path.
>
> I think if you have passionately embraced unschooling, which is an
> amazing thing to do, you should be able to take this step as well.
> Look at television for what it is, free it from the baggage that
> you've given it. It isn't the opiate of the masses. It is a window,
> but it is only one of many windows that you can look at the world
> through. And if you see it as such, and treat it as such, so will your
> children.
>
> Schuyler
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: winteryspruce
> To: [email protected]
> Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:01 AM
> Subject: [AlwaysLearning] embracing TV and Video games - or not
>
> I am trying to understand how I can so passionately embrace a
> philosophy
> (unschooling) and yet stop short when it comes to
> uncensored/unrestricted
> video games and television. If a way of thinking is true for you
> shouldn't it
> hold up in all circumstances.
> Dede
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]