"Touch Grass," she said to me.
"Touch grass," she said to me. It was the first time I'd heard this phrase. I was in New Orleans at a conference, talking to a friend from Atlanta. She repeated herself. "You need to touch grass." So, I went outside and touched the grass. She laughed, as I came back. "The kids these days are saying this to mean you need to take a break from screens and do something real." For me, truer words were never spoken.
I know that data says there aren't learning differences between kids who rely on screentime and kids who don't. I know that there is data that says there are differences. Having been in the classroom and having a thumb on the pulse of who is and who isn't on screens, I want to share some of the things I notice about each of a group of children who get limited screen time.
They move more. They move with grace and purpose. They move to get things they need, without complaint. They run, jump, and climb happily. When they are with the materials, they move them with ease.
They are observant. They look at other people and take note of how they are, their likes and dislikes, their strengths and weaknesses. They notice when things are out of place or when something has changed.
They are socially adept. They are kind but firm with boundaries. They love to use a sophisticated vocabulary and do so to converse and to problem solve. They are unafraid to make commitments in conflict resolution and trust that the others will follow through on their commitments. And they do.
They experience joy as a baseline emotion. While there are times of frustration or sadness, they often handle those with aplomb and move quickly back into a regulated state.
These kids have me rethinking my parenting and my own behavior. Time for me to touch grass again.