The Day My Life Changed Forever
A Child’s Play Changed
Melissa Branch
Everest University Online
ENC 1101-118
A Child’s Play Changed I believe it is a severe tragedy that children’s pastimes have changed drastically today from what they were years ago: from riding bikes, playing house, and having imaginary friends to texting, playing video games, and listening to mp3 players. When I was young, children learned to use imagination, self-entertain, and willingly respect their elders. I remember going across the street to play with the other neighborhood kids. I would impatiently wait for them to come out on Saturday morning, anticipating all the excitement we were going to have that day. I spent the whole day (until suppertime) outside playing ball, riding bikes, making mud pies, or conquering other planets that were actually just huge piles of dirt. Children today are lazier, more disrespectful, and more unsociable. My kids prefer to spend the day watching cartoons, playing video games, surfing the web, or listening to music. I try to encourage them to spend time outdoors and immediately the boredom whine begins or else they’re too hot/cold. “There’s nothing to do” is a common phrase that I hear when I say, “Go outside and play”. Many parents fear that their children are turning into geeks because of their preoccupation with gadgets, gizmos, and anything with a battery in it. They lament that children now lack social skills and that the real fun has been taken out of playtime as they spend hours glued to the computer (Selvarani, 2011). The increase in violence may play a role in parents keeping their children indoors these days. Rape, murder, kidnaps, and pedophiles are concerns that parents face every day. Danger seems to be lurking around every corner; as a result, we’re terrified to let our children out of our sight. By keeping kids confined to a small enclosed area,
Melissa Branch
Everest University Online
ENC 1101-118
A Child’s Play Changed I believe it is a severe tragedy that children’s pastimes have changed drastically today from what they were years ago: from riding bikes, playing house, and having imaginary friends to texting, playing video games, and listening to mp3 players. When I was young, children learned to use imagination, self-entertain, and willingly respect their elders. I remember going across the street to play with the other neighborhood kids. I would impatiently wait for them to come out on Saturday morning, anticipating all the excitement we were going to have that day. I spent the whole day (until suppertime) outside playing ball, riding bikes, making mud pies, or conquering other planets that were actually just huge piles of dirt. Children today are lazier, more disrespectful, and more unsociable. My kids prefer to spend the day watching cartoons, playing video games, surfing the web, or listening to music. I try to encourage them to spend time outdoors and immediately the boredom whine begins or else they’re too hot/cold. “There’s nothing to do” is a common phrase that I hear when I say, “Go outside and play”. Many parents fear that their children are turning into geeks because of their preoccupation with gadgets, gizmos, and anything with a battery in it. They lament that children now lack social skills and that the real fun has been taken out of playtime as they spend hours glued to the computer (Selvarani, 2011). The increase in violence may play a role in parents keeping their children indoors these days. Rape, murder, kidnaps, and pedophiles are concerns that parents face every day. Danger seems to be lurking around every corner; as a result, we’re terrified to let our children out of our sight. By keeping kids confined to a small enclosed area,