Drastic Measures

Funny how often thoughts that have been rumbling around in your head, or just loitering in your subconscious, can sometimes pop out and smack you on the forehead. Often this happens just when you need them to do so. Universe, you are not so mysterious after all.



I went with my husband and my close girlfriend, to the screening of a documentary about the "achievement culture" called "Race to Nowhere." The kids in the film, a representation of the children in our academic culture today, were stressed to the max... and some were in the THIRD GRADE. I'm talking stomach and headaches, anxiety attacks and bouts of depression. Among the high schoolers the symptoms worsened, to anorexia and prescription drug abuse, cutting and even suicide.



Our society has gotten to a point where we judge our worth by the size of our stock portfolios, and our children's worth by the size of their GPA! Not to mention the extracurriculars, community service, AP classes and peppy attitude. Oh, and as one astute girl pointed out, somewhere in there they are supposed to find something unique about themselves. Our elementary aged children no longer have time to play... which brings me to the other brain-stalker that finally jumped out to scare me.



Not only do the reminiscent pass times of yester-youth (play, boredom, chores) have to step aside for academics to whiz by, they also have to compete with television and electronic games for valuable real estate in the world of present day childhood! As I said in yesterday's bulleted points two, three, four, and five... we need to cut the cords... to our computers, iPhones, Nintendo DS, Wii and Netflix (sweet, sweet Netflix). And I don't specifically mean the collective "we." I mean the "we" that indicates MY FAMILY. I take no ownership or responsibility for you and your family.

However, judging by my loss of control and inadvertent use of under-the-breath profanity this morning, screen time competing with "other" time (oh, and mom's authority) is not going to fly in this house any more! "One hour a day, combined all screens, NO MORE and no bartering" is going to be the new norm. Time for creativity, self-directed fascination and learning, chores, boredom, and Yahtzee...

Oh, just so you know that this idea marauder didn't just materialize out of thin air, I am reading a book called "The Plug-In Drug." An excellent and stirring read. When combined with "Race to Nowhere" it could cause drastic changes in attitudes and actions. Beware.

Okay, my final thought and then I promise I'll sign out for the night... After seeing the movie and coming home to read a few chapters in the book, I realized that I am doing no service to my children if I stress them out about their academics at home JUST as much as they would be stressed at school. I need to breathe and relax, and then they will too.

Their end of the bargain is that they remove the "false experience boxes," and my end is that I ease off and let learning flow... perhaps with just a few aqueducts and channels, and maybe a moat (we ARE studying the Middle Ages, you know)!

You read it. I said it, plain as ink on a page (or pixels on a screen). Now maybe you can help me keep myself to it!