Village or Video

I was mentoring a student raised in a country in Africa. Her parents were missionaries who had recently moved back to the United States. Even though she had never attended American schools and learned through reading textbooks and writing, she tested into her senior year of high school. She is a bright and engaging person.

It was fascinating listening to her stories of daily life in an African village. She had written a fictional book in her spare time. She is an amazing person and an excellent student.

However, she really missed having relationships and communication with the other students. The students walked through the halls between classes looking at their phones. In class, they rarely made eye contact, smiled or communicated with each other.

In her African village, the people worked hard during the morning hours, then in the early afternoon, the village came together over cooking fires to prepare meals, share food and their stories of the day. This community time was rich and loving. She missed having human connection.

How are we raising our children in the United States? I have had to tell my young grandchildren to turn off their video games to play with their little cousins they rarely meet. There is disappointment and pushback. Then there is fun and adventure outside.

On our last visit, the grandkids could not get their new video game system to work. We shut it down and went outside to play catch, basketball, tag, then rest and hydrate and tell stories. We had fun together instead of their being fixated on a video game while I read a book in at the table.

How are we raising our children in the United States? Village or video?