It’s a shame to know that today’s children will never experience some of the things I did as a kid. Heck, I didn’t experience much of what my father did when he was a kid, either.
But at least I experienced life before electronics completely took everything over.
The children in this video seem hypnotized, enthralled, and even addicted to their phones, tablets, and video games. While I admit I did play my fair share of Super Nintendo way back when, if someone asked me what my favorite thing to do was, I would definitely answer “Go to the beach” or “Play hockey” before I would say “Sitting still for five hours playing the same game.”
I think that’s what’s most surprising about this video: not just that kids spend so much time staring at a screen, but that they’re so used to it that they don’t see it as a problem.
I take that back. What’s most surprising is the fact that the parents seem to be shocked that their children are missing out on the most carefree time of their lives as it’s being wasted sitting on the couch.
Whether this commercial was completely scripted or not, the final message of the video rings true: Children have a natural curiosity of the world around them. It’s up to us as adults to provide opportunities for our children to explore the world around them in order to revitalize a generation of life-long learners.
And if we don’t cultivate and promote that curiosity, they’ll end up sitting around doing nothing their entire lives.
Featured photo credit: YouTube: Nature Valley Canada via youtube.com
