I read an article the other day — I think it may have been in an ARRP publication, that talked about a study that concluded that kids today can’t run as fast as previous generations. Without reading any further, if you think about it, you know why. They are too fat. Kids sit most of the time, playing video games, or fooling with some tech gadget, or watching one of a possible 500 TV channels available to them. Most of their activities don’t involve any physical exercise. I guess this makes life easier for parents, it keeps the kid occupied — without parental participation.
The fact that kids can’t run as fast anymore, isn’t the only thing they can’t do… many can’t add and subtract. Almost every electronic device like phones, MP3 players, and even watches have a calculator build in — kids have no reason to even try to add and subtract on their own.
Kids can’t read or write cursive. A lot, if not most, of the new curriculums don’t teach cursive. Kids don’t even know how to sign their names.
It also occurs to me that they probably don’t know how to use a library… I’m not sure about this one, but my guess is that if they need to research a subject or “look up” something, they immediately go to Google.
I realize that children are growing up in an entirely different world — a lot different that it was just a few years ago. But a few things haven’t changed…. everyone needs to be physically fit, be able to add and subtract (without a calculator) and read and write cursive. Our children need to be properly introduced to the world in which they live. I’m not sure that’s happening….
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