Monday, January 25, 2010

Quiet times should be relished, right?

How many times in your lives have you complained that life was boring?
Most would probably answer too many to count, don’t you think?
Just during those teen years alone would account for millions of times of saying, “I’m bored”, that probably would have been said by me and my many friends over those harsh years of adolescence.

I once heard, most likely in my early childhood development psychology class that a child who can entertain them self was more than likely an intelligent child.
Who writes these things?
As we all know those text books were written by well educated knowledgeable people in their particular field, most likely a psychologist or physiatrist familiar with the topic of early childhood development, correct?
Now for the hard part, how do they study the children that enable them to come to that conclusion?
Do they put children in a cage or a two-way mirrored room to watch them to see how each individual child reacts in each individual situation?
Or do they just assume that when a questionnaire is filled out by loving or not so loving parents that they have the exact ability to comment on what is asked of them in respect of specific questions?
This has baffled laymen for as long as the professionals in their respected fields have stated that they are the last word of how this all comes about and that what they profess to teach is true and concise information from reliable sources.

But is it?
Before these professions of the mind were accepted professions, experience was considered the best teacher, or trial and error.
I can remember a time when many said that their first born was their experimental child, and that what they learned from that one right or wrong would enable them to parent much better with each successive birth of a new being, practice makes perfect, right?

It has been this layman’s/woman’s observation that many never ever get it right, or may even do great with their first and then goof up the rest of the siblings.
And I also believe that as difficult as being a parent can be at times it is well worth the effort, and many times there are no tangible rewards; only the fact that speaks well of them when you have personal knowledge that you have raised an independent loving capable human being, then that is definitely a tremendous award winner!

Characteristically children on the whole are enigmas unto their own unique personas.
Which is why I question with respect the one size fits all reasoning of child rearing and why a child behaves the way that they do at times.
It is tremendously fascinating to me that we as humans really know so little about ourselves or the ones we care about and their behaviors and motivation of why we may do what we do at any given time.
Does it interest you as well?
Have you ever people watched?
The least intrusive place to do this sort of observing is sitting in the middle of an enclosed mall; it can be quite enlightening. Try to watch, but don’t stare too long or you may creep someone out; utilize the time to examine what that person is doing and how, and perhaps where they may be heading in to what type of store. Try guessing their age and background or family origins. It may seem weird to some but examining people is a great way to understand characterizations for writing purposes; or just have some fun with imagining nothing real but a character to make come to life in your imagination or in a story that you have created.
Human behavior is very interesting and should be something that is never assumed to be alike at any given time for any two people.

That’s your tonight’s assignment, try observing someone without them knowing but in a public place, challenging, huh?

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and we will too!

Speaking My Mind: Which way will the war go?

Speaking My Mind: Which way will the war go? :   My eyesight is going again... in case you missed it... Netanyahu snaps back against growing...