Sunday, March 18, 2018

5 Innovative Suggestions For Supporting "Kids Today"


Articles complaining about kids today aren’t too uncommon. Making the rounds is this article that asks, “WHY ARE KIDS IMPATIENT, BORED, FRIENDLESS, AND ENTITLED?”
I couldn’t disagree more with most of the answers among which include delay gratification, limit technology, and the very worst of all, “Teach your child to do monotonous work from early years as it is the foundation for future ‘workability.’”


Here are some other ways to respond to kids today.

Suggestion 1: Don’t be afraid to set the limits. Kids need limits to grow happy and healthy!!

Wrong: Don't set limits. This does not empower the young person to set their own limits. They think someone else is responsible to do that for them. It teaches dependence and compliance.
Instead: Have real conversations about decisions, choices, and help them make good choices using critical thinking skills you help them to develop.

Suggestion 2. Limit technology, and re-connect with your kids emotionally

Wrong: Stop blaming technology. Sometimes tech is the very tool we use to connect with others in powerful ways.
Instead: Focus on what you are trying to achieve. If you want to connect with your kids figure out ways to do that. It may very well be by building something in Minecraft, memorizing every country by listening to a powerful video on YouTube Kids, or Skyping with Grandma.

Suggestion 3. Train delayed gratification

Wrong: Why manufacture reality?
Instead: Be real. Discuss benefits of having something now verses later. Sometimes there are benefits. Sometimes there are not. Discuss and decide.

Suggestion 4. Teach your child to do monotonous work from early years as it is the foundation for future “workability”

Wrong: Terrible advice. What kind of boring job are they trying to prep kids for.
Instead: Look at real careers and what that work entails. Many careers are not boring or monotonous. Geesh. 

Suggestion 5. Teach social skills

Wait. What? Who are the adults saying this shouldn't be done? No one. Of course we want to support kids in positive social interactions and that should be both face to face and online. 

Your Turn

What do you think? Which of these suggestions might work for you?  

1 comment:

  1. I agree with much of what you wrote.....though as hard as I try sometimes reasoning with a 4 year old and discussing getting things later vs now can be difficult. I’m getting tired thinking about the conversation before lol!!

    You know I’m also coming at this as a parent not necessarily as an educator, which I think makes a difference in my view for right this moment. :)

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