Generation HELPLESS


Recommended Posts

Generation HELPLESS: Children are now better at using smartphones than swimming, tying their shoelaces and even telling the time

  • The study surveyed 2,000 parents of children aged between two and 16

  • Findings revealed more children could use a tablet than tie their shoelaces
  • This was also true for swimming and telling the time
  • A third of two- to four-year-olds own a tablet and spend an average of two hours and 35 minutes a day on these devices
  • This could be affecting their eyesight, sleep and school work

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If a parent doesn't value the ability to swim over the ability to read a book via an electronic device, then I don't see how this is necessarily a problem.

DD:

My view is that swimming is a life-saving skill, while reading a book on a tablet does not reach that

level.

Additionally, can you imagine how stupid your death would be if you were found to have tripped over

your untied shoelaces and fallen into the deep creek and drowned with a tablet in your hands and a big

WTF !!!!

on the screen.

A...

would love to write that obituary...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Additionally, can you imagine how stupid your death would be if you were found to have tripped over

your untied shoelaces and fallen into the deep creek and drowned with a tablet in your hands and a big

WTF !!!!

on the screen.

A...

would love to write that obituary...

I think I found the video to go with it... :wink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qKPMdtWvZ4

Just one example of how technology makes stupid people even more stupid.

Greg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A ad on the radio today about an art program for kids in the SF bay area. No scissors, no sharp tools of any kind allowed. Bizarre. The guy joked about how its kind of hard to tear circles in paper without something to cut with. Sounded like high school level kids were the target. If I were a kid I'd stick to the video games too. Perhaps they can find a cure for their public school malaise there. The kids on average are far smarter than the adults.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A ad on the radio today about an art program for kids in the SF bay area. No scissors, no sharp tools of any kind allowed. Bizarre. The guy joked about how its kind of hard to tear circles in paper without something to cut with. Sounded like high school level kids were the target. If I were a kid I'd stick to the video games too. Perhaps they can find a cure for their public school malaise there. The kids on average are far smarter than the adults.

By trying to remove risk, kids are cheated out of the opportunity develop the ability to cope with it.

When my neighbor's kids were small, their parents had them riding their little bicycles with knee and elbow pads and helmets. They looked totally ridiculous and they only became more clumsy because there were no consequences to falling off.

Greg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By trying to remove risk, kids are cheated out of the opportunity develop the ability to cope with it.

When my neighbor's kids were small, their parents had them riding their little bicycles with knee and elbow pads and helmets. They looked totally ridiculous and they only became more clumsy because there were no consequences to falling off.

Greg

Correct.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I learned to swim when my dad tossed me in the pool at Wright Patterson AFB (I was about six). Took maybe 2 minutes and I was dog paddling.

I was around 3-4 when my father put me on his shoulders and walked thru the sand and into the cold and choppy waters at Coney Island. He stopped when the water reached my neck (he was a cut to the chase guy I guess). I can still hear myself screaming. This was my initiation and I, like you, began dog paddling in a pool he threw me into about a yr or 2 later.

-Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still can't swim and I'm 35

Why?

Derek, If you really want to & can afford it get a few lessons. Some health clubs offer them. The YMCA may offer lessons for no charge. The learning curve is substantially shorter & you will enjoy it that way. Add to that the health benefits have been well documented.

-Joe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some how, for me, I think the learning curve would be substantially greater! I actually start gasping for breath if I get caught in a really hard rain.... I'm not joking. I can't have water in my face without a sense of panic and that includes showers.

About the anecdotes of many people, including friends of mine, learning who to swim by being thrown in a pool, if swimming ability is so natural I don't understand why do people drown?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some how, for me, I think the learning curve would be substantially greater! I actually start gasping for breath if I get caught in a really hard rain.... I'm not joking. I can't have water in my face without a sense of panic and that includes showers.

About the anecdotes of many people, including friends of mine, learning who to swim by being thrown in a pool, if swimming ability is so natural I don't understand why do people drown?

Even people who swim very well in normal circumstances can drown in very cold water or being in the water too long. The Navy 'drown proofs' sailors, you learn to relax and use articles of clothing as flotation devices. People who don't learn to swim when they are young can panic in the water and drown. Infants and very young children react differently and can be taught to swim and be drown proofed quickly and reliably. The crossfit organization promotes drown proofing infants by supporting the ISR Self-Rescue program. Phobias short circuit our natural reasoning and ability to relax. Learning as much as possible about the subject is the key.

When my father did that I really adored him and trusted him completely. I was not afraid. He did know what he was doing.

I really like your painting "Fine Arts". When I was young I tried pencil drawings and water colors for a couple of years. I have a great deal of difficultly holding a picture in my mind and transferring it to paper. I really admire, and envy, people who can do this as well as you obviously can. I read books on perspective and proportion and art history and novels about great artists but I still sucked badly at drawing. Lucky I can understand electronics circuits and make a living.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some how, for me, I think the learning curve would be substantially greater! I actually start gasping for breath if I get caught in a really hard rain.... I'm not joking. I can't have water in my face without a sense of panic and that includes showers.

About the anecdotes of many people, including friends of mine, learning who to swim by being thrown in a pool, if swimming ability is so natural I don't understand why do people drown?

Swimming ability is not natural. Proper technique needs to be learned.`

I witnessed a swim instructor who taught infants, when lowered in to the water, to immediately roll on their backs & place their hands behind their heads & on their necks. Instant floating!

As for the panic you experience when water hits your face, I can appreciate that. I have panicked when placed in to a MRI tube. Don't like tight spaces.

Then swimming is just not right for you. Wish I could avoid the MRI's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Swimming ability is not natural. Proper technique needs to be learned.`

I witnessed a swim instructor who taught infants, when lowered in to the water, to immediately roll on their backs & place their hands behind their heads & on their necks. Instant floating!

As for the panic you experience when water hits your face, I can appreciate that. I have panicked when placed in to a MRI tube. Don't like tight spaces.

Then swimming is just not right for you. Wish I could avoid the MRI's.

Smart swimming instructor.

That position is referred to as the Mae West* flotation position, e.g. if, you suffered a serious nerve, or, spinal injury when you were tossed into the water from the ship, be it temporary, or, permanent, you might not have full use of your legs.

Your lungs become your life jacket. Hard part is not to panic as you exhale and breath in fully before you submerge.

We were trained to jump in with hands behind your back and only your ankles tied and you would learn

quickly to get into that position.

* http://allaboutmae.com/index.php

Also, this article makes sense to me, particularly the fact that babies under six months do not have

the muscular strength in the neck muscles to sustain keeping their heads above water.

Good article from http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-true-that-babies-are-born-with-the-ability-to-swim_10313062.bc ...

No. It's not true that babies are born with the ability to swim, though they have reflexes that make it look like they are.

A reflex called the bradycardic response makes babies hold their breath and open their eyes when

submerged in water, says Jeffrey Wagener, a pediatric pulmonologist in Colorado. (Parents can cause

this same reaction by blowing in their baby's face, a response that disappears after about 6 months.

Also, until around 6 months, babies placed in water tummy down reflexively move their arms and legs in a swimming motion, which makes them look like natural swimmers.

"These reflexes don't mean the baby can swim, though," says Wagener.

Babies aren't old enough to hold their breath intentionally or strong enough keep their head above

water. In addition to the risk of drowning, it's dangerous for an infant to swallow large amounts of

pool water.

Still, many infant swim programs rely on these reflexes to help babies "swim." However, the American

Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn’t recommend swimming programs for children younger than 1 year old.

After the age of 1, the AAP suggests checking with your child's doctor to find out if your baby is ready to participate in a swimming program. If she is, ask the doctor for a recommendation for the best

type of program for your child's developmental level.

Even though your baby can't swim, some infants really enjoy splashing around in the water. So feel free to make playing in the pool a family affair – just stay hands-on whenever you take your baby into the water.

A...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My point really had very little to do with swimming, and everything to do with a parent's right to make choices for their children based on their values. I suppose it's a sensitive issue for me as my son spends a lot of time using mobile devices, and I've had a lot of helicopter moms telling me how bad it is for him. Thing is, my son uses these devices for far more than just idleness. He reads and studies with them. He's dyslexic, so anything, and I mean anything, that gets him reading and helps him to study, then I'm all for it. I don't care that he couldn't tie his shoes until he was 7.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My point really had very little to do with swimming, and everything to do with a parent's right to make choices for their children based on their values. I suppose it's a sensitive issue for me as my son spends a lot of time using mobile devices, and I've had a lot of helicopter moms telling me how bad it is for him. Thing is, my son uses these devices for far more than just idleness. He reads and studies with them. He's dyslexic, so anything, and I mean anything, that gets him reading and helps him to study, then I'm all for it. I don't care that he couldn't tie his shoes until he was 7.

Of course.

He is a separate and distinct human "fingerprint" and all children will excel if parents are open and

involved. Some will excel better than others.

Fuck the cookie cutter, common child, common core caucus.

A...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still can't swim and I'm 35

I learned to swim, sort of, in my mid-forties. Get instruction on how to float on your back and keep afloat and go from there. This is to realize panic is what drowns you so instead of panicking roll onto your back and float.

--Brant

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still can't swim and I'm 35

I learned to swim, sort of, in my mid-forties. Get instruction on how to float on your back and keep afloat and go from there. This is to realize panic is what drowns you so instead of panicking roll onto your back and float.

--Brant

Correct.

I am surprised that you are not given a quick swimming section in basic.

A...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought a scuba mask to keep the water out my face while I try to float and I still failed... but that was on only one beach day a year ago and I havent tried since

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Correct.

I am surprised that you are not given a quick swimming section in basic.

A...

Nor did I need it for Special Forces, though I would today. If I wanted to go into Special Forces today with what I had back then I'd take off a year for running, upper body strength and swimming. The requirements have been ramped up. I still cheated to get in. Cheating is what you do in the socialist military to get things done.

--Brant

but I wouldn't do Navy Seals--too much water; not enough brains respecting one's responsibilities--in SF your officers respect you as an enlisted man for they usually don't have your MOS skills however good their fighting skills--I'd only want to be a military officer if it got me into an airplane cockpit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Some how, for me, I think the learning curve would be substantially greater! I actually start gasping for breath if I get caught in a really hard rain.... I'm not joking. I can't have water in my face without a sense of panic and that includes showers.

About the anecdotes of many people, including friends of mine, learning who to swim by being thrown in a pool, if swimming ability is so natural I don't understand why do people drown?

Even people who swim very well in normal circumstances can drown in very cold water or being in the water too long. The Navy 'drown proofs' sailors, you learn to relax and use articles of clothing as flotation devices. People who don't learn to swim when they are young can panic in the water and drown. Infants and very young children react differently and can be taught to swim and be drown proofed quickly and reliably. The crossfit organization promotes drown proofing infants by supporting the ISR Self-Rescue program. Phobias short circuit our natural reasoning and ability to relax. Learning as much as possible about the subject is the key.

When my father did that I really adored him and trusted him completely. I was not afraid. He did know what he was doing.

I really like your painting "Fine Arts". When I was young I tried pencil drawings and water colors for a couple of years. I have a great deal of difficultly holding a picture in my mind and transferring it to paper. I really admire, and envy, people who can do this as well as you obviously can. I read books on perspective and proportion and art history and novels about great artists but I still sucked badly at drawing. Lucky I can understand electronics circuits and make a living.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now