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Children, XO and authenticity

January 12th, 2008 · 1 Comment · Children

Today (okay it was really yesterday!) I drove a couple of hours to see my Grandbaby and daughter too, of course! My daughter has a friend’s baby shower to go to in the next state tomorrow (today), and I’m doing childcare (yeah – fun!) If you’re confused, it’s been a while since you spent time with a 16 month old!

Last month, my husband and I donated to the one laptop per child project, and received one in their buy one, get one promotion. It’s quite the computer – but it was great fun to watch the grandbaby: with her mother on a laptop for one of her day jobs at home, she’s very savvy as to what they are and what you do with them. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my upload cable, so perhaps Monday when I return, I’ll post a picture.

I’m pretty unfamiliar with what’s built and sold as “computers” to the very young child, so I may have to do some toy store shopping. As with so many other items, I was struck by how excited she was. So often children are very aware of the authenticity of something, either toy, children’s show, adult’s behavior, etc. which the adults think is amazing and “cute”! Why should it be? Authentic people crave authentic experiences. Who decided a child’s life should be filled with “pretend” items and experiences? Too many adults interpret the child’s play (which is a tool by which they come to understand and learn about the world) as mere pretend and unimportant. How are untrue. It is their authentic introduction to the world.

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