We Have Ruined Childhood
You guys in the States have it bad. I hear terrible stories about the fear that now surrounds any kind of freedom for kids. Over here in the UK we’re a bit better, but the “give them exams ALL the time” and schools being on their knees, financially, are all too familiar.<p>For me, this journey with my kids has been about a massive slew of things, among the most important:<p>- extending their childhood where possible: encouraging actual play (and discouraging the pseudo-play of screens)
- letting them out: outside play when they’re younger (my kids dicked about in streams and woods from about 5&#x2F;6 years old); now they’re older (14&#x2F;12) they take themselves off swimming, into town, to the shops, on the bus to the nearest city 2 hours away, etc
- reading, reading, reading. Always.
- talking and appreciating them as adults and not as kids. This means trying not to patronise, being adult when talking about politics, religion, sex
- being more present: for example, I’ve had a Nokia 3310 rather than a smartphone for more than a year now, and a large part of this has been about not being constantly distracted when I’m with other people, particularly my kids
- be there: work less, hangout more. I work for myself, but never evenings or weekends, these are family time. I’m gonna be poor and will probably never retire but these years with my kids are as important as it gets. I’d rather be poor forever and have had this time with them. It’s all too short.<p>Kids need all the love, but too often this becomes smothering.