I began thinking about all of the books that I would read when I was growing up and how children are now. Whatever happened to "Ameilia Bedilia"or "Clifford" or "The Babysitter's Club" or "Goosebumps" these are the books that I grew up with as a child. Now children have "Gossip Girl" and "Harry Potter" and "Dora". Most of these books are t.v. shows and movies, which did happen in some instances but it wasn't like every book had a movie, it left a lot to the child's imagination.
When I was in school I used to LIVE, and I do mean LIVE, for The Scholastic Book Fair! Do they still have those? If not children in today's society are seriously missing out! When I used to get those order tissue-paper like order forms I would fill up my order form and order til my little heart was content. And once I got my books I would stay up all night and read! Do kids still do that anymore? Do kids still need to? With movies and tv shows why would they need to, right?
You can sit your child in front of a tv and let Dora teach him or her. Even though we had Sesame Street that show was JAM PACKED full of learning! Do they still have Sesame Street? If not then I would be outraged! That show was pivotal in a lot of the 90s babies upbringing! Shows like Sesame Street encouraged children to read but today shows encourage you to 'stay tuned'.
So now I ask you to look back on your upbringing and compare it to children in today's society's upbringing, how do you feel about this? How do you compare our media compares to the current media?
Were the 90s All That?
I definitely agree that times have changed and many children are much more focused now on TV series rather than reading, however I do think that educational TV shows are still out there. I babysit a seven year old and before she got out of school for summer break she would read for hours on end. But now that she is settled into "summer mode" I can barely take her away from the TV for five minutes. If it were up to her, she would consume her whole day watching shows like I-Carly which feature bratty teenage girls who are up to no good. Because she has started to mimic their bad behavior I thought it was time for an intervention. I was curious if educational programs such as Sesame Street and Arthur were still on and I was surprised to find out that they are! Even when we were growing up, Nick and Disney were not the most educational channels around, so I think it has to do with what kind of TV parents allow their children to watch. Now, I only let Erin watch PBS since I know the shows will provide her with some sort of educational content.
ReplyDeleteZOOM was a GREAT GREAT GREAT show! I hope that still comes on because that showed a lot of educational things and projects. I guess that now that people have cable PBS is a lost cause! But that channel has the best educational programs I've ever seen for children...for adults? I'd rather watch paint dry...
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that some children today are exposed to way much television at an early age. Most of this television they are exposed to is not educational. I know that my parents kept my tv watching at a minimum of an hour or two a night, and that was only if my homework was complete. I still do remember watching sesame street and Arthur and other shows on pbs because we did not have cable television. While there are definitely more television shows with learning opportunities today on cable television, there is nothing like sitting down with a book and actually picturing what could happen and using your imagination. Too many kids don’t do this and do not even know what they are missing out on. As educators we need to broaden their horizons and show them how interesting books can be.
ReplyDeleteI think technology has gotten to the point where it is damaging children's futures. I mean what is gonna happen to kids who don't ever have to use their imagination when they grow up? Will they turn out the same way as the 90's generation who were constantly using our imaginations to make play time better? It's like you said, they don't even have to imagine what the book's characters look like because they make almost everything into a TV show or movie. Not that there's much wrong with that, I just think that it's good to keep somethings up to the imagination so that it can be properly utilized. When I was a kid I was always outside running and playing and reading books in the evening. Now, I get this feeling that kids are just playing video games or watching TV, or playing with some type of electronic toy. I mean, you don't even have to use your legs to ride a scooter anymore with the invention of the motorized ones. Just last week when I was at the pool I heard a mother yelling at her child for reading too much on their vacation and that she better start reading slower because her parents weren't going to buy her anymore books. This disturbed me, because its such a rare occasion to see a kid who enjoys reading more than playing in the pool. I think technology needs to slow down a lot, it makes me fear for the days when I have kids, like I won't be able to keep up.
ReplyDeleteThe 90's were definitely all that haha. But really yes the 90's had great shows, Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, Rugrats, Are You Afraid of the Dark. I feel like the shows that are made now cannot compare to the shows from then. I have decided that if or when I have children, I will have them watch the awesome shows that I watched as a child. As far as books go I don't necessarily know if their are better books now or then, but I do agree that making so many books into movies is a bad thing because it does take away from kids being imaginative. Like the book Bridge to Terbithia, I loved that book so I was excited when they were making a movie of it, but the movie was terrible and I feel like it was so much better in my mind. Some books should just be left to the imagination, but with the way society is now it is hardly allowed.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful that I lived in the 90s. I guess if I were born later I would not know any different, but I am still thankful. Times are changing way too much way too fast.
ReplyDeleteChildhood is a very critical time for development; kids learn very quickly. These days, kids are barely seen outside after school anymore. I can only assume they are inside playing video games or watching TV. Laziness could possibly be a contributing factor to childhood obesity. The responsibility also falls on the parent though because they are allowing their son or daughter to stay inside. Instead, they should encourage after school reading or outdoor activities. Technology is a great tool to have, but the amount society relies on it is kind of scary.
To produce thinkers for later in life, there should be more educational shows and less of stereotypical girls who are snobs, for example. Those shows send kids the wrong messages of how you should be.