On Kids & Media. Part 1.

I think we all can agree that the media choices kids have these days are overwhelming.  Absolutely overwhelming.  In my opinion, kids will beg for as much media as you will give them.  But when you say no, and they get bored enough, they WILL do something else.  It WILL be something that is more creative than playing Angry Birds.  And it WILL be more inconvenient for you as a parent.  Just this week, Samuel was pestering me to play a game on my phone.  I had promised him he could play while Asher was getting a cavity filled, but there was a movie on in the dentist's office that he watched instead, so I guess he thought I owed him.  Anyway, I said no.  He whined a little.  I said no again.  Five minutes later he was on the floor playing blocks with his two-year-old brother.  It was messy for me.  It would've been easier for me to hand him my phone.  But it gave me much more joy to see him on the floor with his little brother using his mind and his imagination.  One day, hopefully, he WILL thank me.