Like Robot, Like Child.
I have been reading to Smallsteps at night since she was born and I will keep on doing it for as long as I can. Originally of course, it was pretty simple books, but in the last years we have moved through the series of Mary Poppins, Narnia, Roald Dahl collections and now to Middle Earth and the Lord of the Rings. The time we spend reading and then reflecting after, plus all the conversations we have that reference what we have read, is golden time.
I don't understand why so many parents choose not to read to their kids. And then, I don't know why people want to outsource these moments to others like nannies, or very soon, to robots. There are multiple companies doing it and this is just one that is a "companion robot" for children and the elderly, that will tell stories, sing, dance and remind old people to take their medicine. The companion for the elderly I get, but when parents are choosing this to replace the tasks of the parent, I feel bad for the child.
It is becoming like people are choosing to forget how humans work, how we build interpersonal skills and strategies, emotional strength, and bonds with others. We see anything that we don't want to do, that we don't know how to do, that bores us, or is not interesting for us right now as a chore. And when we aren't willing to do anything that isn't interesting to us, it means we are going to struggle to create any kinds of relationships of depth.
For children it is even worse today, as many are growing up without care, affection, attention, and a sense of belonging from the very people whose job it is to raise them. They are starving, socially-malnourished from a lack of people around them who are willing to invest into their wellbeing. Well, unless you call buying a robot to raise them an investment.
I watch those American movies where people are raised by nannies and there are cleaners everywhere, and I wonder how common it is. As far as I have seen, I don't know of a single Finn who had a nanny. Not one. But these days, I do see a lot of parents shoving a screen in front of their kid's face to keep them quiet, entertained, out of the way. And it makes me wonder, is it really any surprise that the state of youths is so bad in so many places? Is it any wonder that children starved of affection and care in the home are playing up at school? Is it any wonder that youth crime is increasing in most places?
Perhaps with a robot to raise them they will end up better off in many ways, speaking more languages (even though that won't be a great skill in the future) and having their homework done. But, if they are unable to connect with other humans, if they live in a digital feedback bubble, what kinds of people are they going to be in society? Is there a society at all?
What happens to community?
I find it dystopic that people are willing to have a screen, a robot, or a stranger raise their children during their formative years, when they are learning the structure of the family culture. I find it sad that so many seem more interested in doom scrolling than spending time with their kids, which is perhaps one of the most rewarding experiences a human can have.
Parenting is far more than reading a book, staying up with an ill child, or rocking them to sleep. It is far more than putting a roof over their head, clothes on their back and making sure they do their homework. But perhaps, because of the constant encroachment of technology that steals our attention, many people never really experience what parenting is actually about, or the impact it makes on our global experience. Yet, we are definitely seeing the symptoms of absent parents, who might be there in body, but not spirit.
Maybe a robot can do it far better after all.
Like robot, like child.
Taraz
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I recommend reading Ray Bradbury's The Veldt - a short story you'll find online. The ending is fabulous - a warning to what happens when you get tech to look after your kids.
I was always dumbfounded with parents at school who would openly say "oh I hate reading" in front of their kids. No wonder your kid lacks basic comprehension skills, mate. Let alone all the other benefits of reading, like imagination, and that basic skill required for our survival as a species, EMPATHY.
Will check it out.
It is the same for maths. I can only conclude that people are thoughtless at best, but more likely, complete idiots.
Oh definitely idiots. Definitely. Wankers and cunts also.
I think more likely they were raised the same way. Never saw the point. I guess you don't know the magic unless you have experienced it yourself. And if you dont read, you wouldn't have read the literature that says how great it is for you.
Apart from painting, which is my specialty and field of study, I also work in music. I have been playing music for my son since he was a child. Now that he is 11 years old, he knows how to read music and plays the guitar well. Although I don't play the guitar and I play another instrument, my parents have a great influence. Now, every Thursday and Friday, we design board games together. As for reading books, his mother and I have been reading books to him since he was a child. We used to take him to libraries in the city, apart from playing games. Now, he takes us to bookstores for new books... This is really valuable to us.
That is cool. I think board games are far better than the digital trash and are a big part of building strong family bonds, still in the context of learning quality skills.
What kinds of books does he like?
He loves stories like Harry Potter and of course he is reading several volumes of Japanese manga books. I think he is also interested in the illustrations and drawings in these books and they are attractive to him... He has also made small mini-books with funny illustrations and recently we are writing a book together about a squirrel which is based on a series of stories that I used to tell him before going to bed when he was a child (completely mentally) and he was very attractive to him. It has been a month since we started working on the book together. And right now we are writing it in manuscript form and we have finished one chapter of the book.
I think technology should help us grow, not make us dependent on it. The important question is whether we are raising capable, independent people or just teaching them to follow a system.
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The screen came first to colonize minds. Those nanny robots will be for those who can afford them, and I believe they will serve as impeccable teachers for those who will become the elite in power. I don’t think robots are meant for everyone.
I think like you have talked about in the past with people only processing short content, the same is true with reading to their kids. It's too big of a time commitment, probably because they see it as something they have to do, not something they get to do. You should check out the book Grey Magic by Andre Norton at some point. I think smallsteps might enjoy it.