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From smartphones to laptops and video games, today’s kids are constantly seeking entertainment.
But is this good for them and what should you do to keep them engaged?
I’m delighted to have my advice printed in Gulf News about how to help your kids handle boredom ! => http://gulfnews.com/life-style/general/mum-i-m-bored-1.1091100
Here’s an extract….
“It’s a family day out at a sea life centre and Aria points to a shark swimming in a glass tank over her son’s head. “Look Ross, a shark!” she says excitedly. “A real live shark, just above you!” The eight-year-old looks up, glances at the shark from a distance of three metres, and for two seconds his brown eyes light up with wonder. Then he asks, “What’s next?” His gaze is already fixed on the exit door. It’s at that moment Aria realises there’s nothing she can do to hold her son’s interest for longer than a few seconds. Even when he is face-to-face with a shark, he’s already looking for his next thrill.
“I couldn’t do much more to keep him interested, short of putting him in the tank to swim with the shark or organising a safari holiday,” confides Aria. “The day was a let-down. I breathed a sigh of relief when he was back in the car, playing his Nintendo. At least that made him happy.” But Ross isn’t unusual. He’s typical of a generation of children brought up to expect instant gratification. They want their entertainment right here and right now, and if something that interests them isn’t readily available, they move on in search of something more stimulating. They live their lives fast and they expect people to be lively and vibrant.
“Some children these days have a very short attention span,” says Allison Mitchell, author of The Manic Mum’s Guide to Calm Parenting and Co-operative Kids. “They have constant stimulation – adrenaline is a stimulant – and they have so much to entertain them that they’re not used to having nothing to do. “Just look at the ages that children are getting mobile phones and access to the internet. They have hand-held entertainment at their fingertips and it’s there all the time. The more they have, the more they get used to it.”
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