Yesterday I posted about teens and low expectations. A good look at American history over the last 50-100 years and what we’ve done to the family can explain a lot .

Last night we watched a documentary about a family that moved away from the typical American lifestyle to a simple life. The dad’s goal was to be at home with his family, to be with his wife and children, caring for and training them.

The documentary shows the family working and playing together, there is no doubt this family loves their life and each other! There is a comment made during the movie concerning the children working on the homestead and not playing video games, watching TV, etc… The comment was, ‘Are the children being robbed of their childhood?’ I think if you look at the contentment and joy on their faces you’d have to answer “no”.

When you remove the mega hours that most young people spend in front of, or on some sort of, electrical/cellular device, and let them use their imaginations to play , solve problems and create toys, music, drama, etc… THAT is when a child is truly encountering his childhood. I would think that it is the opposite of this that is robbing children of their childhood.

Yes, in our family we do watch TV, but not much. We do use our computer, social networks and cell phones, but it all with moderation. Our kids do not receive cell phones until they start driving, and even then they are on the family plan with limited minutes. Computer time is limited, and now that they are older they limit themselves for the most part.

I’m not saying everyone needs to leave the life they have and move to an Amish community (I LOVE ELECTRICITY!), but I am saying is that a lot of what most Americans allow their children to do, in work and play really does rob them of their childhood. Most don’t experience days of working along side their parents and siblings and evenings of enoying the fruit of their labors. Granted most parents work away from the home and family, this is not a sin. The point being, it can impact the family.

Most children don’t know what it is like to romp and play, creating their own toys from natural things around them. Many do not get to experience the task of solving real problems in their work and play. One part I love in this movie is seeing the boys make a boat from some plastic boxes.

I believe this contributes to the low expectations we have for our young people. They are given few responsibilities and then not held responsible for their actions. Young people are capable of so much more than we give them credit for!