I am haunted by a photograph I saw earlier this week. As is typical among my faculty colleagues, a proud grandparent was passing photos around at lunchtime. I was particularly struck by one photo: the child was seated on the floor, DVD in player in her lap, headphones on her ears. On her face was an expression of total absorption—and delight. Her grandfather explained that she had gotten her very own DVD player for Christmas, and happily spends hours entertaining herself with it. So what is unusual about this? This little girl is only two years old! How soon will this child have her own computer? Her own cell phone? Have we entered the age of the techno-child?
I didn't know that 2-year-olds now have DVD players (at least in countries like the United States, where everyone is enchanted by the latest electronic devices). I have no basis for concluding that there is harm associated with this—but couldn't there be some unanticipated consequences? When a child can summon entertainment so rapidly and effortlessly, will there be less likelihood of developing an imaginary friend or creating a tea party tableau with one's dolls or teddy bears? When a significant portion of the day is spent watching colorful Disney characters in fantastic scenarios, will there be less fascination with exploring the mundane natural world? When videos provide a steady stream of fast-paced action sequences, will there be impatience with the slower pace of much of everyday life?
I am remembering a childhood that included aimless afternoons, with no particular agenda save making some mud pies, looking for 4-leaf clovers in the grass, or lying on my back watching clouds. What a wondrous cast of characters populated my imagination: elves and fairies and swans who gave me rides on their backs. Because I was extremely near-sighted (my myopia never being detected until I started to school), the world was a fusion of beautiful blurred images, something like a Monet painting. I had to hold things close to examine them: acorns, bugs, dandelions, pine cones. Listening to birds provided exquisite music. Making a chain of clover blossoms provided elegant jewelry.
Will the techno-child experience these simple pleasures? Does anyone else have some concerns about this child? I would love to hear your thoughts.