I have been watching this interesting documentary available on youtube called Childhood 2.0. It talks about our giant social experiment in screentime and social media. This new screen based world is only growing as we have taken even our traditional education, because of the Corona Virus into the virtual screen world. The findings from this documentary are somewhat disturbing. The increase in teen suicide alone is alarming. There are findings of less empathy, more anxiety, and more depression. Overall we are losing touch with the things that really matter, and losing touch with our selves in the process. Peter Gray has done extensive research on the role of play in the healthy developmental process, particularly in the development of healthy emotional systems in the brain. How do we bring back authentic experiences outside the virtual world? He makes a few suggestions at the end of his amazing Ted talk. He calls on us adults to make possible spaces for children to engage in creative play. This is one of the things I hope the Art Garage provides. But I am not the only one in my community doing good things to get children outside, communicating and away from the screens. The Art Garage is welcoming its community counterpart Kids Awaken into the fold as we work to bring deeper meaning and greater values into the experiences and lives of the kids in our community. Shantel Wells started working with the kids in her neighborhood several years ago when she lived in Florida with her 6 children and noticed that their friends needed mentoring and guidance to understand the world around them. Well, I am so lucky that her kids have also been engaged in the Art Garage and so I have had the chance to connect and get to know these amazing girls. I am so grateful to have met their amazing mother who has also agreed to be a founding board member at the Community House Network! What an amazing neighborhood!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Abigail LarrisonEducator, Scientist and Art Maker. The purpose of all life is to spread joy. What brings more joy than making art? Archives
November 2023
|