SOL18: Raising Digital Natives
Posted on March 13th, 2018
The grands are out for spring break, and that means a special day with Hess (aka me) for each of them. Today was Aurora’s day. When I asked her what she wanted to do, she replied that she wanted to make a craft video like I do. She assured me with complete confidence that if I could do it, then she could too. That was a hard one to argue with, and I thought, “OK, let’s do it.”
Aurora’s been crafting with me since she was able to hold a crayon, and I found out today just how carefully she’s been watching me. Mind you, she’s only in the second grade, but she can search through and find the stamp set she wants, get out her supplies and put on her craft apron before I have a cup of tea made.
Once she had her card made, she went to work on her script. Writing it longhand was a slow go, and so I volunteered to type as she dictated. Her enthusiasm waned about the time she would be going out to recess. “We need outside time, Hess. Let’s go.” A tour of the flower beds to check for spring growth and some acrobatics on the jungle gym rejuvenated her.
After several run-throughs and two takes, we rendered her video and uploaded it to YouTube. While we waited for the video to be ready to view online, we headed back outside for more time on the jungle gym. She laughed as she chased bubbles I blew for her, and I recalled reading about digital natives years ago when I was studying for my Technology Applications teaching certification. The video production process that took me a month to complete 15 years ago, she had accomplished in one morning. A very humbling thought, indeed.
I’ve embedded Aurora’s video below in case you want to view it. There is an eight-year-old who is already keeping track of the view numbers, so I know she’d be proud that you watched!
This is awesome! I love that Aurora says “shimmering” as if it’s an adjective every eight-year-old favors. When I read your title, I though you were going to go in the direction of how balance, the playing outdoors and the checking for Spring signs is essential for digital natives to do their best work. It is an implicit message in this post, and as much as technology shapes our lives now, let’s never forget, “We need outside time!” Wonderful!
You are exactly right about needing time outdoors to balance indoor activity, especially screen time. Aurora’s parents have always limited screen time and been good to take trips to the park, the public library, etc. so that is what Aurora now does “by nature.” wink!
It’s fun to share your passion with someone you love. Sounds like a win-win for you both!