When I got my Nintendo I didn’t think it would have any impact on children’s lives. Little did I know that 23 years later we would do a lot more than just play games to consume our time. With the Computer age came some great feats, but changed the way people entertain themselves forever.
A commercial was on the other day that really made me think where things have gone from the time of our first computer to now. According to the U.S dept. of Statistics, the average American spends2.7 hours a day watching T.V. I would like to hope that Canadians spend a little less but I think I would be disappointedly wrong.
Kids spend more of their time in front of a screen than they do any other activity like riding bikes, playing ball or even hanging out in the park with a few friends.
Growing up in an isolated small town in northern Manitoba may have been the best thing that could happen during my childhood. With no cable T.V, we had a couple channels that we didn’t want to watch anyway. This forced us to go find something to do.
With a bunch of broken down swings and some partially rotten playground fixtures we could go on an adventure to anywhere imaginable. Girls and boys would play together; the teenagers would try to get a date with the others on babysitting duty, and socialization was just part of everyday life. Not a website you go to.
Today I look around and see that this is quickly disappearing. My girls text their friend to chat all day, we used to pick up a phone and make arrangement to go out. They go on Facebook to tell everyone what they are doing; we would just go do something and not care if everyone knew. With so many facilities at our fingertips I find it hard to drive down the street and see no one at the parks, soccer fields or just sitting on their decks.
The challenge today is not just getting our kids out, it is getting everyone out. Survivor, The Voice, X-Factor…..There are so many distractions it is easier to watch one of these “must see T.V shows” after a long work day than go out. At a young age we start watching T.V now. Parents put their kids in front of the TV to make sure they are entertained.
I search daily for the answer to everyone’s question, how do we get out more? By the time you spend 8-10 hours at work a day, you really don’t feel like doing much. Parents more so than others. You have to tend to the kids before you can have any time for yourself.
With so much to do in and around Whitehorse I feel we should all do a little more to get out. It is a great way to let go of the day’s problems and just wind down. Go sit on the side of the hidden lakes for a bit and see how relaxing the call of a loon can be, or wander down to miles canyon and listen to the water race past.
I recommend we all take advantage of this great place because some day when you turn off the T.V, you may realize it is all gone.
