A friend of mine who is the director of a preschool told me that before the kids' performances and programs, she advises parents to leave the video cameras off, or at home. It reminds us to think about the experience from the child's perspective. He is up on stage wanting to share with mom and dad something he's worked hard on. He feels proud and excited as he scans the room for his mom and dad. Yet he doesn't see dad's face, as it is hidden behind a camera. Imagine his disappointment when dad isn't smiling and waving, but fiddling with some metal device.
Technology allows us to preserve events to be watched again at a later date. But nothing compares to fully experiencing a special moment with your child while it is happening. When we are fully present and aware of the entire moment in all its splendor, those precious events are stored in our hearts--and our child's hearts--forever.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Thank you so much for calling attention to this important issue, Sheila. In front of the camera, the child has a more difficult time concentrating on his/her inner world--the place and seeds of the imaginative life--let's disrupt it as little as possible!
Gloria DeGaetano, author
Parenting Well in a Media Age
Oh, what good advice! I'll have to implement this one. :)
Post a Comment