Residual "anti-tv" feelings/ Military School concern
jennefer harper
First, as a fairly new person to this list, I just
want to say that I am enjoying all the posts on this
list and am learning alot!
Yes, I must admit that I do have some residual
"anti-tv/video" feelings, although not that extreme,
which I am currently processing. My child is not
quite 3, my second just turned 1, and am trying to
find the right balance that feels good for our family-
perhaps I should be more concerned with the balance
that feels good to my almost 3 year old. My circle of
friends are very alternative and I find their
parenting philosophies very valuable. At the same
time, I am discovering unschooling, which challenges
me to go even further! I am happy to let Sebastian
watch videos (we currently have no cable, therefore no
tv channels), but, I often stuggle with my partner's
negative comments about Sebastian "watching too much
so we just ignore him" (he's being cynical here), and
my alternative friends commenting that the wave
lengths omitted from the tv have negative effects on
children's brains. (Any info about this argument
would be helpful!) I'm NOT concerned at all that my
children will not read due to tv watching. I'm an
English major and love literature myself- so I just
don't see this happening...
Anyhow, I have a love for film, so definately see
movies etc. as having an artistic as well as
educational as well as entertainment etc. etc. value.
Perhaps I need to go into the archives and read past
posts on this topic.
On another note, reading the recent posts about
unschoolers wanting to go to a military school- I am
instinctually saddened by reading these posts because
it hurts me to imagine children wanting to go into
this field. War is not play, it's murder; and I
wonder how parents feel about this. I know as an
unschooler we are supposed to support and encourage a
child's interest; so how does a parent deal when what
a child chooses to be interested in is anti-thetical
to a parent's moral philosophy? I realize this may be
a touchy subject due to the war in Iraq and other
controversial wars, but feel like I need to come to a
place of understanding.
Thanks for all the insight,
Jennefer in Oregon
__________________________________
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want to say that I am enjoying all the posts on this
list and am learning alot!
Yes, I must admit that I do have some residual
"anti-tv/video" feelings, although not that extreme,
which I am currently processing. My child is not
quite 3, my second just turned 1, and am trying to
find the right balance that feels good for our family-
perhaps I should be more concerned with the balance
that feels good to my almost 3 year old. My circle of
friends are very alternative and I find their
parenting philosophies very valuable. At the same
time, I am discovering unschooling, which challenges
me to go even further! I am happy to let Sebastian
watch videos (we currently have no cable, therefore no
tv channels), but, I often stuggle with my partner's
negative comments about Sebastian "watching too much
so we just ignore him" (he's being cynical here), and
my alternative friends commenting that the wave
lengths omitted from the tv have negative effects on
children's brains. (Any info about this argument
would be helpful!) I'm NOT concerned at all that my
children will not read due to tv watching. I'm an
English major and love literature myself- so I just
don't see this happening...
Anyhow, I have a love for film, so definately see
movies etc. as having an artistic as well as
educational as well as entertainment etc. etc. value.
Perhaps I need to go into the archives and read past
posts on this topic.
On another note, reading the recent posts about
unschoolers wanting to go to a military school- I am
instinctually saddened by reading these posts because
it hurts me to imagine children wanting to go into
this field. War is not play, it's murder; and I
wonder how parents feel about this. I know as an
unschooler we are supposed to support and encourage a
child's interest; so how does a parent deal when what
a child chooses to be interested in is anti-thetical
to a parent's moral philosophy? I realize this may be
a touchy subject due to the war in Iraq and other
controversial wars, but feel like I need to come to a
place of understanding.
Thanks for all the insight,
Jennefer in Oregon
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Vote for the stars of Yahoo!'s next ad campaign!
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/yahoo/votelifeengine/
[email protected]
In a message dated 7/22/2004 2:52:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
jenneferh2000@... writes:
First, as a fairly new person to this list, I just
want to say that I am enjoying all the posts on this
list and am learning alot!<<<
That's always nice to hear! Thanks---and welcome!
instinctually saddened by reading these posts because
it hurts me to imagine children wanting to go into
this field. War is not play, it's murder; and I
wonder how parents feel about this. <<<<<
I'm anti-war, but I'm married to an Air Force major, ret. Ben is the
gentlest, most peaceful person I know----and many on this list know him too.The
point of the military is to avoid war. Doesn't always happen, of course. Ben's in
because he feels that he can steer folks to more peaceful resolutions. He
joined for several reasons, but he's anti-war too. A military full of hotheaded
killers is NOT what a military needs.
I doubt many unschoolers will find themselves in the military---it's just
counter to what unschooling endorses---critical thinking. Of course, we NEED
very smart, critical thinkers in the higher ranks! And they have to start
somewhere! <G>
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
jenneferh2000@... writes:
First, as a fairly new person to this list, I just
want to say that I am enjoying all the posts on this
list and am learning alot!<<<
That's always nice to hear! Thanks---and welcome!
>>>>>On another note, reading the recent posts aboutunschoolers wanting to go to a military school- I am
instinctually saddened by reading these posts because
it hurts me to imagine children wanting to go into
this field. War is not play, it's murder; and I
wonder how parents feel about this. <<<<<
I'm anti-war, but I'm married to an Air Force major, ret. Ben is the
gentlest, most peaceful person I know----and many on this list know him too.The
point of the military is to avoid war. Doesn't always happen, of course. Ben's in
because he feels that he can steer folks to more peaceful resolutions. He
joined for several reasons, but he's anti-war too. A military full of hotheaded
killers is NOT what a military needs.
I doubt many unschoolers will find themselves in the military---it's just
counter to what unschooling endorses---critical thinking. Of course, we NEED
very smart, critical thinkers in the higher ranks! And they have to start
somewhere! <G>
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
TreeGoddess
On Jul 22, 2004, at 2:50 PM, jennefer harper wrote:
but then I read a lot of posts at the UnschoolingDiscussion list that
had links stating that that book was full o'crap and that the
reports/experiments/tests had been rigged or twisted to look like TV,
computer, video use was just pure danger.
Unfortunately, I don't have those links, but you could probably turn up
some if you put that title into http://www.google.com with some other
words. Somebody here might have the links bookmarked or you could join
the UnschoolingDiscussion Yahoo group and search the archives.
Either way, we're pretty "alternative"/"crunchy" but we've let go of
our hang ups about limiting exposure to TV and/or computer and the kids
don't have melted brains and they are getting kind of bored with it now
that they've "gorged" themselves on it for a few months.
HTH
-Tracy-
> [ my alternative friends commenting that the waveA few years ago I read _The_Plug-in_Drug_ and was a little freaked out,
> lengths omitted from the tv have negative effects on
> children's brains. (Any info about this argument
> would be helpful!) ]
but then I read a lot of posts at the UnschoolingDiscussion list that
had links stating that that book was full o'crap and that the
reports/experiments/tests had been rigged or twisted to look like TV,
computer, video use was just pure danger.
Unfortunately, I don't have those links, but you could probably turn up
some if you put that title into http://www.google.com with some other
words. Somebody here might have the links bookmarked or you could join
the UnschoolingDiscussion Yahoo group and search the archives.
Either way, we're pretty "alternative"/"crunchy" but we've let go of
our hang ups about limiting exposure to TV and/or computer and the kids
don't have melted brains and they are getting kind of bored with it now
that they've "gorged" themselves on it for a few months.
HTH
-Tracy-
mamaaj2000
--- In [email protected], jennefer harper
<jenneferh2000@y...> wrote:
War is not play, it's murder;
Jennefer, is this a fact or is it your belief? Here's why I'm asking.
I was raised in a community with certain political etc. beliefs that
were treated as facts. People who believed overwise were wrong and/or
evil. As I became a teenager, I started seeing the holes, the places
where the 'facts' weren't true. It was hard to talk to my parents or
others about it because they didn't say "here's what I believe and
why" and let me choose as much as they repeated their facts! Other
people believe that war is a necessary evil or that serving in the
military is defending their country, etc.
I'd always assumed values are something we would teach our
children...now I'm struggling to understand how we are going to share
our values, explain what we believe, etc. without Teaching Right and
Wrong in Three Short Lessons! I know that I can't control whether my
kids join the military like dh or become anti-war protesters or
anywhere in between. There are issues I feel strongly about and
issues dh feels strongly about (and they ain't the same!).
I think that explaining beliefs and listening to our kids' questions
and allowing them to explore other view points is vital. Why should
they listen to us if we don't listen to them?
Anyway, just a very long-winded way of saying I don't know either!
--aj
<jenneferh2000@y...> wrote:
War is not play, it's murder;
Jennefer, is this a fact or is it your belief? Here's why I'm asking.
I was raised in a community with certain political etc. beliefs that
were treated as facts. People who believed overwise were wrong and/or
evil. As I became a teenager, I started seeing the holes, the places
where the 'facts' weren't true. It was hard to talk to my parents or
others about it because they didn't say "here's what I believe and
why" and let me choose as much as they repeated their facts! Other
people believe that war is a necessary evil or that serving in the
military is defending their country, etc.
I'd always assumed values are something we would teach our
children...now I'm struggling to understand how we are going to share
our values, explain what we believe, etc. without Teaching Right and
Wrong in Three Short Lessons! I know that I can't control whether my
kids join the military like dh or become anti-war protesters or
anywhere in between. There are issues I feel strongly about and
issues dh feels strongly about (and they ain't the same!).
I think that explaining beliefs and listening to our kids' questions
and allowing them to explore other view points is vital. Why should
they listen to us if we don't listen to them?
Anyway, just a very long-winded way of saying I don't know either!
--aj