Years ago, I was blessed to hear Dr. David Walsh speak about research on the brain, and while I am NOT an expert, I vividly recall him explaining how trauma in a child actually rewires the brain. In fact, if you scan the brain of babies who come from homes where the response of their cry is met with yelling and door slamming, it will have a different scan when compared to those without trauma – for example, when babies cry and that cry is responded to by cuddling and soothing. This was pretty eye opening for me, as admittedly, I was one of those parents who, when listening to parents speak about behaviors of their adopted children, who they received as an INFANT, would wonder why they felt it had anything to do with the fact that those behaviors had to do with the fact that they were adopted. But this “brain rewiring” made that make sense to me – because we don’t know what previous environments were like, even in utero, for a baby. I also know from experience, that it may not be an abusive situation, but rather an intense medical one, that can cause the trauma. My first baby was born with a pretty significant birth defect, albeit reparable, and was in the hospital for the first two months of life. He wasn’t a bad child…but his temper was off the charts. And he would later (elementary age) make comments about suicide, etc. I was petrified as to what was happening – and as years went by, I have had so many loving parents come to me with concerns about their child for similiar behavior. There began to be a pretty common theme – all these little ones had a difficult birth. I find that so interesting!
Despite the news report of a horrible homeschooled situation recently, I have found working with homeschooling parents to be the best scenario as a teacher! The dedication to take on the responsibility of their child’s education, on top of the responsibility of parenting, is admirable and I love the care, respect, and honesty that comes with it. There have been times when I, as a teacher, have been frustrated about whatever situation but then had to attend a meeting with “regular” teachers, and hearing them comment on uninvolved parents, or children (IN THIRD GRADE!) telling them to “F*@& Off!” ALWAYS humbled me and made me realize how incredibly blessed I am to have the families that I have. It’s not that the kids won’t misbehave, it’s that when they do, I know the parents will resolve whatever I couldn’t in the classroom. We are team and I cannot imagine working elsewhere. Homeschooling parents, in general, are not lazy parents. And that is what I’m afraid is happening across the country, because, while it is not trauma, there are now reports about the use of AI and the effects on the brain. It isn’t a far leap to think the use of screens in general are changing the way kids brains develop…and not in a positive way. Not only are behaviors more prevalent, instant gratification more required, but the ability to sit and READ from a book is dwindling. Now, I don’t have science to back these next things up…but I do have experience with life, and I have common sense. And here is what I know…
As a mom of 6, with constant interruptions, MY brain had a hard time staying focused on one task. I don’t think I realized how many times I heard the word “Mom” and was interrupted until I was trying to practice for a 90 second speech for a class and COULD NOT even make it through that without someone interrupting me! That was frustrating, but it seemed like eventually, my thoughts sort of took on that short life span. Like a computer…my brain just kept opening tabs but never closing them and pretty soon I just couldn’t FOCUS or quiet my brain. I wonder if little kids, exposed to everything “quick” to look up, to watch, effects their ability to just…focus.
Once you’re on a “screen”, it takes a lot of self discipline to shut it off. I am in my mid fifties and even with a hate of FB…can easily go on it to just quick check if there in anything new…and 45 minutes later (and truly nothing new), I hate it even more. How easy to let kids, who are quiet and content, just go on that Ipad and lose themselves to little videos (yes, even those that are educational) and we, as parents “can get things done” without the constant interruptions. But here is another idea…start them off with books. Yup – they are messier. Yup, they get ruined. But instead of the Ipad for the road trip, take a trip to the library and let your kids grab a stack of books to read on the road. Need quiet time at home? Implement a quiet time of the day – they don’t have to sleep, but they do have to rest and resting is NOT with a screen (in fact, it’s been proven it does the opposite). But reading…well, that is peaceful.
I had a mom once say to me that she didn’t really care if her kids learned math, as they can just do it on their phone. (As a teacher, I cried inside for a moment) and I suppose one could justify the same with reading. The technology of AI certainly is an argument to have a computer read for you, write for you, think for you. But…there are now reports that that the use of AI is effecting the neurons in the brain. Aaannnddd…let’s think about how historically speaking, the inability to read has not faired well for ANYBODY. Certainly it was used to divide the wealthy and the poor (from the medieval ages in Europe to the practice of slavery here in United States). And there are definitely long ago (and likely current) stories of the educated cheating the illiterate out of home and land by having them sign a document, unread, but now legal. Are these extreme? Maybe. But can you see it being repeated? I can. And my gosh, are we truly hoping to let a computer think for us? For our kids? Is there really a world where that would be AT ALL beneficial? To Who??
Reading isn’t just for educational purposes (if it were, I suppose you could depend on AI and Google) but (ironically) if you Google something to the effect of How Reading Effects the Brain…you will see that it does, in fact, wire your brain differently and in a positive way, relax you, improve your sleep, ect.
So let’s be intentional about this. Let’s read to our children, let them see us read, hear us read, go to the library and check out books and be excited to read. I’m not saying to never let them have Ipad time…certainly as a homeschooler, take advantage of the internet and learn and watch about the jellyfish and the deserts and the Middle East and the honeybee, but don’t lose track of their time, or yours. Don’t substitute a book for a screen in hopes of getting some downtime. Don’t wire their brain in a way that becomes overwhelming and stressed. That will, unfortunately, come soon enough. We are raising thinkers and learners, so let’s make reading GREAT.