Wait, what?

[Spaceisbeautifulul]

So I just signed up for a little something tonight. My neighbor Jerry likes to call it a "star party". Its basically where a bunch of guys get together and look at the stars. Jerry is a major player in this one place that hosts these things, he helps rent out telescopes, and helps with the star parties.

Ok, so I signed up for that and all, and this morning, my mom ran the paper over to Jerry. And guess what Jerry told her:

"Heh, you know, your son is the only kid we've seen so far!"

So: rant mode/rage mode: on. All good? Alright let loose.

So whats that supposed to mean?! I'm the only "kid" who knows that space is beautiful? I guess it makes sense, you can't go your whole life without looking up at the stars, and some do it more than once. So even so, that doesn't explain why everybody struggles through watching one five minute video about Jupiter or something. I had a class in middle school once, and when I was going into it, everyone told me: Man, that class is boring as hell! I went into it, and it was great! It was just a ton of videos about space and stars. And all these crazy theories that I found interesting. We started some project about the solar system, and BAM I went through all the stations knowing more than anyone there. And everyone else was saying: This is so boring!

So if I'm the only "kid" who knows space is beautiful, then what about the only grown lady. Or the small selection of grown men!

I think people think of it as learning, that's what I choose to believe.

Anyways, that was my little rant/rage/let-it-out-moment.

And I'll have fun at that "star party" tonight.

[MalletFace]

Sometimes people assume that children will not be interested in certain things, just because they are unlikely to be able to properly comprehend it. They also assume that children will not be able to comprehend something, just because they are unlikely to be interested in it. This is not only wrong, but it means that children learn less than they can and should, in most cases.

Children are naturally curious, and learning is actually fun, unless it is not supposed to be fun, and this is mostly defined by a community.

I will admit that I am a "kid", being only fifteen years of age. I am not one of the children that is in a family where learning is treated as something that isn't fun. This shows in the difference of how I see learning, and how some of the other children in my community see learning.

That said, you can see in most children a love of learning, and a great curiosity, even if what they are doing does not seem like learning at first glance.

Edited July 13, 2013 by MalletFace

[jwenting]

the vast majority of kids nowadays aren't interested in anything that doesn't start with an "i", or at least exists in a television or computer...

When I find a kid who's actually interested in what happens outside the house, I'm stunned.

[MalletFace]

I don't want to talk too much about why children are so obsessed with themselves, and why they love computers and television, but much research has gone into it, and it often shows something different from what most people believe.

To get an accurate position of this from a child is almost impossible. From the research I have seen, a child's love of television can come from many things, including the ability to accurately make predictions (Even if what they are doing is post-diction), be part of a social group, or being able to teach somebody else something. The first one normally applies to young children, but the second and third often applies all the way to adulthood.

On computers, I feel that the more into a computer a child is, the better it is. Children who play games on computers will likely make strong social connections that may last a long time, and many children who get into computers will often want to know how to make something for whatever they do on a computer. The idea that computers are only bad for a child are wrong, and there has never been anybody to prove this. There have been, however, people that proved gaming and working on computers can improve certain technical and social skills.

From my experience, children are overzealous about things outside of the house, assuming you mean current events and going outside. All of the children I know love to go outside given the right temperatures. I, personally, prefer time outside when it is cold, or is raining. As to current events, children will often take sides and defend their positions. They are erred in most cases, as they aren't likely to be taught proper research until they get of college age, and they often take the sides of their family, but they do take part.

[Nikolai]

Children are naturally curious, and learning is actually fun

Indeed. The words "school" and "scholar" come from a Greek word meaning "leisure".

The mind should be a playground. We often forget that. And the better the toys you have to play with, the more rewarding the recreation. In a very real sense, people who treat learning as if it's not meant to be fun are depriving themselves.

[SuperWeegee4000]

I'm thirteen.

I would rather watch a documentary on how Jupiter was formed than a Bay thriller with lots of random explosions.

I would rather play Kerbal Space Program and learn stuff and have fun than Battlefield 3.

I'm just tired of all the hate today's youth gets.

[MalletFace]

I really don't want to hate something until I fully understand it. When I fully understand it, I might hate it if it tries to make an argument that goes against all of my collected sources, and interferes with my life.

[Monkthespy]

I have a college reading level and a vocabulary level of a high school student. Why isn't this normal for someone my age, 13? It's honestly not that hard. Read some books, get interested in something. I wasn't trying to do that and I got to that level. It doesn't make any sense.

Bit off topic though. I do find it dumb that people assume kids are not going to be curious in something that isn't games, sports, or TV.

[MalletFace]

I remember the librarian when I was in the third grade sitting me down and checking that I could understand the words used in Robinson Crusoe. She was happy that I knew them, but she thought it was weird.

I don't remember how she thought of children in terms of behavior and thought, but I can remember that she was a bit... off, and that she did miss working at the school so much that she cried in front of the whole faculty once.

[Mercy]

I'm thirteen.

I would rather watch a documentary on how Jupiter was formed than a Bay thriller with lots of random explosions.

I would rather play Kerbal Space Program and learn stuff and have fun than Battlefield 3.

I'm just tired of all the hate today's youth gets.

You realise you can do all the nerdy science-y interesting you want, as well as things considered more conventionally fun right?

Heck, I'm a huge medical nerd, I'm going to Med School for the Army in a year if my plans go right, and I still go out and watch stupid films and play stupid games and other stupid things.

It doesn't make you any less smart. If anything, it makes you smarter for realising you can do everything you want and not suffer for it intellectually.

[jfx]

I'm thirteen.

I would rather watch a documentary on how Jupiter was formed than a Bay thriller with lots of random explosions.

I would rather play Kerbal Space Program and learn stuff and have fun than Battlefield 3.

I'm just tired of all the hate today's youth gets.

Your parents and grandparents received the same "hate" because they enjoyed different activities than their elders.

dealwithit.gif.

[MalletFace]

Your parents and grandparents received the same "hate" because they enjoyed different activities than their elders.

dealwithit.gif.

I believe he was talking about people who assume all minors are not capable of advanced levels of thought and learning, not the ones who feel computers and games are bad for children. Those are two different things: the second being wrong to do, and the first being really really wrong to do.

[swiftgates24]

I'm thirteen.

I would rather watch a documentary on how Jupiter was formed than a Bay thriller with lots of random explosions.

I would rather play Kerbal Space Program and learn stuff and have fun than Battlefield 3.

I'm just tired of all the hate today's youth gets.

Well how 'bout that, were basically the same person The world is not becoming better with 6 year olds crying on CoD all day, then swearing and raging. It gets better with SCIENCE!

[Spaceisbeautifulul]

I'm thirteen.

I would rather watch a documentary on how Jupiter was formed than a Bay thriller with lots of random explosions.

I would rather play Kerbal Space Program and learn stuff and have fun than Battlefield 3.

I'm just tired of all the hate today's youth gets.

This guy, this guy gets it!