children less creative...

[libertytyranny]

Are Today's Youth Less Creative & Imaginative? - FoxNews.com



So sad. I don't think it is neccesarily more testing that's causing problems, though I do think children are over tested and the constant teaching to the test hurts them academically..but I think it's the toys. Too many, too stupid, not creative enough. I used to love my lincoln logs..but too many kids I know are 5, 6 yo and play with nintendo ds or some soul sucking stupid video game marketed as a way to teach kids to be a genius or something..I HATE those stupid kiddie laptops..leapfrog things, electronic books that "read" to them..they ruin children's brains by doing things for them. Monster will not get anything like that. I am not against video games, but they have their place and should be seen as recreation and not some kind of learning tool. She can play games on the real computer for fun..but if she wants to read shes gonna have to do it with a real book..I dont want her to have a bunch of useless, worthless electronic toys ( I have already had to get onto So's mom about that) Shes gonna have to play outside, build things, help me cook, use her imagination, play dress up and have tea parties with her dolls. I am a mean horrible mommy.

 

[Sweet 16]

Are Today's Youth Less Creative & Imaginative? - FoxNews.com



So sad. I don't think it is neccesarily more testing that's causing problems, though I do think children are over tested and the constant teaching to the test hurts them academically..but I think it's the toys. Too many, too stupid, not creative enough. I used to love my lincoln logs..but too many kids I know are 5, 6 yo and play with nintendo ds or some soul sucking stupid video game marketed as a way to teach kids to be a genius or something..I HATE those stupid kiddie laptops..leapfrog things, electronic books that "read" to them..they ruin children's brains by doing things for them. Monster will not get anything like that. I am not against video games, but they have their place and should be seen as recreation and not some kind of learning tool. She can play games on the real computer for fun..but if she wants to read shes gonna have to do it with a real book..I dont want her to have a bunch of useless, worthless electronic toys ( I have already had to get onto So's mom about that) Shes gonna have to play outside, build things, help me cook, use her imagination, play dress up and have tea parties with her dolls. I am a mean horrible mommy.

If this makes you mean and horrible, keep it up! You are doing your daughter a great service by not taking the lazy route and letting electronics "teach" and entertain her instead of interacting with her. Growing up, we could spend an entire day playing with an empty refrigerator box and had a blast! Kids today have everything handed to them, including their entertainment, so they never have to learn how to entertain themselves.

 

[glhs837]

Yep, make your child an outcast Not really, but honestly, if you think kids today are not as creative, you are not really looking. Note the article doesn't say that games and such have any effect, for good or ill. The article is pretty focused on how education plays a role in creativity, not how access to electronic media affects it.


Social interaction is part of learning to be creative, and part of social interaction is shared experience. If you insist on an Amishlike childhood, then your child will be well prepared to socially interact with Amish kids

And no, I am not advocating a smartphone at age three, and full rounds of Resident Evil at age 10, but don't go full Amish either. There are tons of things to learn from electronic media, some of the most creative young adults I know grew up playing Oregon Trail

I say foster an appreciation of all learning, the media used to learn, be it paper books or an Barnes and Noble Nook, are just tools. A wood worker who only uses hand tools is at a disadvantage.

 

[Bann]

Are Today's Youth Less Creative & Imaginative? - FoxNews.com



So sad. I don't think it is neccesarily more testing that's causing problems, though I do think children are over tested and the constant teaching to the test hurts them academically..but I think it's the toys. Too many, too stupid, not creative enough. I used to love my lincoln logs..but too many kids I know are 5, 6 yo and play with nintendo ds or some soul sucking stupid video game marketed as a way to teach kids to be a genius or something..I HATE those stupid kiddie laptops..leapfrog things, electronic books that "read" to them..they ruin children's brains by doing things for them. Monster will not get anything like that. I am not against video games, but they have their place and should be seen as recreation and not some kind of learning tool. She can play games on the real computer for fun..but if she wants to read shes gonna have to do it with a real book..I dont want her to have a bunch of useless, worthless electronic toys ( I have already had to get onto So's mom about that) Shes gonna have to play outside, build things, help me cook, use her imagination, play dress up and have tea parties with her dolls. I am a mean horrible mommy.

No, you're not! I think it's great! I resisted some of the electronic toys for many, many years with my two kids. Thing1 had fine motor issues, so the Lincoln Logs, Duplo blocks (pre-schoolers' Legos) and other manipulative types of toys were excellent for him anyway. He loved K'nex, too! (although, as I recall, Thing2 got ahold of one of the little blue rings when he was 3, put it up his nose, and we had to go to the ER. )

I was the mom who bought all the geeky "traditional" type toys. Real wooden blocks, wooden cars, trains, puzzles, books, board games, card games - I wanted them to have that experience and I think they were much better off for it. Although, I will admit that even though it was an excellent tool for kids with fine motor skill issues, I was not much of a fan of play dough. :badmommy:

 

[puggymom]

I did not read the article but I think my kids are plenty creative. AND they do have today's modern toys (not their own smartphone but I do let them play with mine). I got a large package a while back. Later on I heard a ruckus I went and found my kids and were playing in it and it was destroyed. I was promptly informed it was an X-wing fighter plane and they had just crash landed on Dagobah.
OK so maybe not very creative since it was Lucas's idea but pretty imaginative if you ask me!

 

[glhs837]

No different, in my day, we were the crew of the Enterprise, or Emergency 51, while my brothers generation were helping Buck or Roy Rogers. Imagination and creativity, those things fostered by parents, and that's the key to me. What material things your child has or doesn't have, that doesn't matter as long as you engage with them and what they are doing.

 

[libertytyranny]

The article is discussing the very real results of studies showing that creativity is certainly down. Less creative, less original ideas. They seem to be hypothesizing it is because of too much testing (specifically multiple choice type standard testing) which I agree with to a point..but I think that toys and play are much more to blame.

When I was younger we used to make up dances, plays, fake "cook" outside on the green electric boxes...we would read goosebumps books and make a play out of it costumes, props and all..steal flour from inside and mix it with those purple poke berries and make cakes with it..I strung up that plastic string between my house and my neighbors and we slid messages to each other in a cup...we NEVER sat inside and played video games. We never played on the computer, played games on a kiddie laptop, or anything like that. we would never sit and pass a DS back and forth to each other..we played. and when I was by myself (only child) I read a book, or played with my dolls, or sewed them a dress out of an old tshirt..I DID stuff..we DID stuff..now kids have tvs in their rooms at birth, video games before they can read, personal video games, electronic books (I am not talking about kindles, thats a neat idea for a kid/preteen, I mean those leapfrog things) toys that DO everything..so theres no room to pretend.

MIL's nephew is a beautiful example of a modern 5/6 yo..has a ds, plays on moms phone, has too many toys to count, watches way more tv than is healthy, and refuses to play outside. Its "boring." But he can tell you all of the names of dinosaurs and what they eat..and everyone acts like he is a genius. He isn't. He cant make himself a sandwich, tie his shoes, or ask a question politely..ask him to make up a dinosaur of his own and he looks at you like he's confused ..and hes just one of many. My SIL is a teacher, 4th grade. She had her students make up a sci fi story..they were so sad. there were good ones, but a huge chunk of them were so sad. they lacked not only basic writing and grammar skills, but any sort of imagination or inspiration. most took the sample story they were read and changed small details.

It's not about making my kid be "amish" that's ridiculous. computer skills are neccessary in the world today, and video games and computer time can be lots of fun. But it isn't a learning tool by any means, and it isn't going to make your child a genius because you give him every electronic "learning game" they push. I would argue it dumbs kids down. Maybe they repeat to you the things they "learned" on their video game..but rote memorization is only a teeny tiny part of learning and even less of actual intelligence. so they can tell you hola means hello in spanish..but can they make their own lunch? ride a bike and jump a totally dangerous homemade ramp? too much emphasis is being placed on memorizing everything little electronic boxes emit..and not enough on real life problems and solutions.

Another thing sucking creativity that the article didn't even TOUCH is how many kids are completely doped up on various drugs. It's hard to be creative when your parents drug you up everyday so they dont have to discipline you.

 

[glhs837]

My point wasnt those things can't lead to sedentary, unimaginitive children. It sure can. But active parenting can ensure that it doesn't happen. It is not the tool, it is the user.

 

[kwillia]

The article is discussing the very real results of studies showing that creativity is certainly down. Less creative, less original ideas. They seem to be hypothesizing it is because of too much testing (specifically multiple choice type standard testing) which I agree with to a point..but I think that toys and play are much more to blame.

When I was younger we used to make up dances, plays, fake "cook" outside on the green electric boxes...we would read goosebumps books and make a play out of it costumes, props and all..steal flour from inside and mix it with those purple poke berries and make cakes with it..I strung up that plastic string between my house and my neighbors and we slid messages to each other in a cup...we NEVER sat inside and played video games. We never played on the computer, played games on a kiddie laptop, or anything like that. we would never sit and pass a DS back and forth to each other..we played. and when I was by myself (only child) I read a book, or played with my dolls, or sewed them a dress out of an old tshirt..I DID stuff..we DID stuff..now kids have tvs in their rooms at birth, video games before they can read, personal video games, electronic books (I am not talking about kindles, thats a neat idea for a kid/preteen, I mean those leapfrog things) toys that DO everything..so theres no room to pretend.

MIL's nephew is a beautiful example of a modern 5/6 yo..has a ds, plays on moms phone, has too many toys to count, watches way more tv than is healthy, and refuses to play outside. Its "boring." But he can tell you all of the names of dinosaurs and what they eat..and everyone acts like he is a genius. He isn't. He cant make himself a sandwich, tie his shoes, or ask a question politely..ask him to make up a dinosaur of his own and he looks at you like he's confused ..and hes just one of many. My SIL is a teacher, 4th grade. She had her students make up a sci fi story..they were so sad. there were good ones, but a huge chunk of them were so sad. they lacked not only basic writing and grammar skills, but any sort of imagination or inspiration. most took the sample story they were read and changed small details.

It's not about making my kid be "amish" that's ridiculous. computer skills are neccessary in the world today, and video games and computer time can be lots of fun. But it isn't a learning tool by any means, and it isn't going to make your child a genius because you give him every electronic "learning game" they push. I would argue it dumbs kids down. Maybe they repeat to you the things they "learned" on their video game..but rote memorization is only a teeny tiny part of learning and even less of actual intelligence. so they can tell you hola means hello in spanish..but can they make their own lunch? ride a bike and jump a totally dangerous homemade ramp? too much emphasis is being placed on memorizing everything little electronic boxes emit..and not enough on real life problems and solutions.

Another thing sucking creativity that the article didn't even TOUCH is how many kids are completely doped up on various drugs. It's hard to be creative when your parents drug you up everyday so they dont have to discipline you.

You have a lot of valid points, but by that same token your baby is still a newborn so you really don't know what kind of parenting techniques you will eventually fall into until it happens. It's great to have goals and aspirations though...

 

[libertytyranny]

You have a lot of valid points, but by that same token your baby is still a newborn so you really don't know what kind of parenting techniques you will eventually fall into until it happens. It's great to have goals and aspirations though...

sure. that's true. But there are a few things I feel strongly about, and will have no problem sticking to. Other things, I have no problem changing my mind about. This is one of those things I feel very strongly about... way before I had a child of my own.






I don't think all of those types of toys are bad, or if your kid has one they aren't creative..but there are awesome replacements for those sorts of toys that will be more entertaining, less expensive, and more active. will my kid never touch those sorts of games? of course she will, im not a total meany..Im just not going to delude myself into thinking if I let her play for hours with a leapfrog shes going to be a genius.

 

[Sweet 16]

The article is discussing the very real results of studies showing that creativity is certainly down. Less creative, less original ideas.....

This would explain the current overabundance of movie remakes now (Footloose, Conan the Barbarian, Superman, Dirty Dancing,.....).

We used to dress up and stage elaborate plays and talent shows for the neighborhood, played every imaginable variation of tag, hide-and-seek and dodgeball, rode our bikes all over the neighborhood, made playhouses and forts out of old bedsheets in the basement, or just spent the afternoon playing in an empty large appliance box. If it was too hot, cold or rainy and we actually came inside, we played board games or cards. And if there was absolutely no one to play with, I would read my favorite books for hours.

My son and his friends would take their plastic Harry Potter wands and roam around the yard for hours at a time casting spells and making stuff up as they went along. Over the years, he had a mix of "real" and electronic toys, but was rarely unable to find something to occupy himself even if it is just reading a book. It amazes me today when he puts down the xBox and I "catch" him in his room...reading!

MIL's nephew is a beautiful example of a modern 5/6 yo..has a ds, plays on moms phone, has too many toys to count, watches way more tv than is healthy, and refuses to play outside. Its "boring."...

Another thing sucking creativity that the article didn't even TOUCH is how many kids are completely doped up on various drugs. It's hard to be creative when your parents drug you up everyday so they dont have to discipline you.

I have a friend whose kids have never been forced to nor learned how to entertain themselves. They have always complained how "bored" they are and how "boring" everything is but they won't attempt to find something to do on their own. And the daughter has been on ADD drugs since she was a child.

 

[kwillia]

Interesting... I reading all of these "we used to...." posts and then I recall all of the "what do you mean you let your kid play in the fenced in back yard without you being there... what do you mean you let your kid ride his/her bike in the neighborhood and you aren't watching... what do you mean you let your child walk to and play on the neighborhood playground and you didn't go with them..." posts.

I wonder how much stunted imagination and creativity is actually a result of electronic gadgets and such and how much is really a result of helicoptor parenting where little Suzie and little Johnny are "protected" from engaging in activities that we were allowed to do back in the day.

 

[libertytyranny]

Interesting... I reading all of these "we used to...." posts and then I recall all of the "what do you mean you let your kid play in the fenced in back yard without you being there... what do you mean you let your kid ride his/her bike in the neighborhood and you aren't watching... what do you mean you let your child walk to and play on the neighborhood playground and you didn't go with them..." posts.

I wonder how much stunted imagination and creativity is actually a result of electronic gadgets and such and how much is really a result of helicoptor parenting where little Suzie and little Johnny are "protected" from engaging in activities that we were allowed to do back in the day.

I was just thinking about this the other day talking to SO about moving. I used to play outside all the time..i would run in and out but mom never stood outside watching me..I have to wonder if I will be brave enough to do the same for monster? Not when she's little, obv..but when she's older. I want to, and by principle I should..I know the likelyhood of her getting snatched or eaten by a dingo are very slim..but will I ever be able to let her out to play without hovering by the window to make sure she is ok? I hope so..

 

[kwillia]

I was just thinking about this the other day talking to SO about moving. I used to play outside all the time..i would run in and out but mom never stood outside watching me..I have to wonder if I will be brave enough to do the same for monster? Not when she's little, obv..but when she's older. I want to, and by principle I should..I know the likelyhood of her getting snatched or eaten by a dingo are very slim..but will I ever be able to let her out to play without hovering by the window to make sure she is ok? I hope so..

I recently had a similar conversation with my daughter... I have an older brother and a younger sister. There are a ton of things we did growing up that I would never consider letting my daughter do.

My elementary school years were spent in an apartment complex in Forrestville, MD... we were always outside playing without a parent watching our every move. Do you know how many strangers we encountered on a daily basis? How many doors that we walked past that could have had evil on the other side? How many trips through the woods from one apartment building to the next to go play with friends? etc.

When we made the wonderful move from PG county to St. Mary's that opened a whole new list of things we were allowed to do that I'd never let my kids do. We were allowed to trapse for hours on end through the woods hunting for bigfoot. We dug forts into the ground that could have collapsed around us at any time. We built forts way up in the trees. We'd walk alone around the local farms or drive our bikes alone to go visit neighbor friends that lived 2 miles away. In the winter we'd dump buckets of water down a hill-path in the woods and when it froze over we'd blaze down the trail on our sleds hoping to dodge all trees and end up alive in the open field at the bottom, etc.

Nope. No way would I let my kids do that stuff.

 

[Sweet 16]

Interesting... I reading all of these "we used to...." posts and then I recall all of the "what do you mean you let your kid play in the fenced in back yard without you being there... what do you mean you let your kid ride his/her bike in the neighborhood and you aren't watching... what do you mean you let your child walk to and play on the neighborhood playground and you didn't go with them..." posts.

I wonder how much stunted imagination and creativity is actually a result of electronic gadgets and such and how much is really a result of helicoptor parenting where little Suzie and little Johnny are "protected" from engaging in activities that we were allowed to do back in the day.

Probably a combination of the two. I admit, I kept a watchful eye on my son until he was in elementary school when he was allowed to go up to the playground with his friends or ride his bike up the street. And yes, I got nervous if he didn't come immediately when we called but I still allowed him the freedom to explore. Often he would come home and I could tell from the pine sap on his hands that he had been climbing trees! I have seen kids whose mommies dress them up in cute little outfits all the time and then won't let them do anything lest they get any food or dirt on themselves, which I think is just wrong IMO.

Back in the day, we used glue and paste and fingerpaints and had to learn to color inside the lines and to not make a mess. Nowadays, many parents won't allow messy activities and companies like Crayola make everything mess-free (good for mom but probably not so good for the kids). They make it impossible to color outside the lines so your picture comes out perfect instead of allowing for all the imperfections that makes children's artwork so endearing and original. In essence, they take all the creativity out of being creative.

 

[glhs837]

At ages 12-13, we (about 2-4 of us) kids would take our bikes on this route. Wold take 3-5 hours depending on how much time we spent staring at the dioramas in the museum at Lexington, or stopping to mock up battles along the way. Of course, this was the 70s, no comms at all.

Waltham Senior High School to Concord, MA - Google Maps

Nope, I wouldnt let my kids do the same. But I will let the boy set up an airsoft battlefield And the girl attend a concert.

 

[vraiblonde]

Witness

By all rights, we should be dead. Pretty cool that we're not.

 

[kwillia]

Witness

By all rights, we should be dead. Pretty cool that we're not.

Amen... and those of us who lived through such precarous childhoods are pretty darn creative if I do say so myself...

 

[Cheeky1]

My son likes to run around, flop onto furniture, be thrown around, tossed in the air, climb trees, make a mess, play with transformers (he really likes them, though hasn't seen the movie to my knowledge.....probably my inlaws doing hehe), scribble on paper, scribble on the windows (then, doesn't like cleaning it up lol), pushing the vaccuum cleaner around and then make toys out the attachments....


...really,seriously, the kids are becoming less creative?! That is BS. Children mimic the role models in their lives - parents and older siblings. The parents are less creative and in many cases want more restriction which dampens the classical forms of creativity. Stop blaming the kids.

EDIT: my (1st son) is 4 years old

 

[Speedy70]

I think a lot of it depends on the parents. If the parents are lazy and don't take the time to introduce all the imaginative play toys (lincoln logs, play cooking, etc) and just hand them video games to keep them occupied then I can understand how that can happen.

My 4 year old knows how to use the iPad and does frequently, however he mostly loves playing with his trucks, cars, lincoln logs, and even play cooking. That's a favorite of his when we go to my parent's house.