When will we stop using Covid as an excuse for our children not being socialized, well-behaved, ready for school, not showing age-appropriate learning among other misbehaviors?
How we reached the idea that children can be raised by a screen on an iPad, a cell phone or other device is beyond understanding. The idea that a child can parent her or himself is very wrong. A child needs parenting for many years to become a reasonable adult. Parenting does not “just happen” when a baby comes, it is an ongoing, active, thoughtful lifestyle on the part of the parent. Besides feeding and changing the diaper of a baby a lot more has to be happening between the child and parent. To develop properly, a child needs to be held, talked to, exercised, and given many new experiences inside the home and outdoors.
Children need to hear language from people in their lives, not from a screen, and see it being spoken to develop their own ability to speak properly. As children celebrate another birthday their needs change but do not lessen.
Children need to have the ability to grow and learn new things in a planned environment that parents have created for them. A three-year-old has a tremendous ability to learn all kinds of things but will only succeed in this if a parent is spending a lot of time with the child in their daily life. The child will learn life skills just by observing the parents and trying to emulate their behavior. When the parent gives the child the precious gift of time it gives great dividends.
Some parents today think since they are working from home, they can save money and keep their child home with them safe in a bubble. What is the child supposed to do while the parent is involved in their work for eight hours a day? Unfortunately, some parents make the mistake of using a cell phone or other device to keep their child busy and quiet while they work. Imagine what this does to the development of the child. The young child has important sensitive periods that are not being met.
When television first came on the scene parents were warned not to use the tv as a babysitter. Probably many did use tv this way. The difference from today’s screens was that the television was stationary and much less addictive, so it did not go with a child in the car, outdoors or anywhere else as opposed to today’s screens that travel with them wherever the child goes.
The best choice for a parent working from home with a small child is to have someone do the mothering that the parent is not doing or have the three-year-old attend a Montessori school where young children are challenged and given lots of interesting activities to do each day. They have activities that teach independence, focus, and develop their small motor skills. They gain a great academic foundation to continually build on.