Writer's Choice ~ Indoor -vs- Outdoors

The last assignment, before this E-Portfolio was an Essay on Pop Culture. In this specific essay I decided to choose to write on Indoor -vs- Outdoors. Although I didn't get as high as a grade as I hoped and anticipated, I was very passionate on this specific topic. I was told by the instructors "Take your analysis deeper and bring in more textual points to support your ideas." This helped me see that indeed my writing had improved from the first essay but I still needed to trust my ideas and opinions and know that just because I feel a certain way doesn't mean my opinion is null and void.

Traditions are Changing from
Outdoors to Indoors

Pulling into my neighborhood one early evening in May brought home lots of memories of my childhood. Most of our neighborhood consists of large to 5-acre lots with homes. I drove onto our side country road anxious to get home, eat and relax. To my surprise within a ¼ mile stretch I could have my thirst quenched by a group of young entrepreneurs by a nice refreshing glass of lemonade. I couldn’t help but smile as my eyes watered and my mind wandered back 25 years to memories of neighborhood kids gathering together outdoors daily, trying to buy ice-cream and popsicles with Monopoly money, catching wagons full of caterpillars, climbing many trees, and collecting bushels of cat tails. I couldn’t help but think how great it was to see young kids outdoors, using their imaginations as they round up the other neighborhood kids to sell their lemonade and play a game of toss while they waited for their next customer. So many of these memories returned from this one incident of young entrepreneurs which made me realize that there is something missing in today’s generation of kids. They’re not outdoors selling lemonade and collecting bugs; they are indoors with the newest coolest video and computer game fending off their “evil” enemies. We as society have allowed the traditions of getting “fresh air” change from daily to possibly weekly.

The tradition of playing outdoors is considered overrated by many children, including my own children at times in this day and age. Why is it they would much rather be inside in front of a game system, computer or T.V. instead of outdoors in the sun playing and hanging out with their friends? I see this becoming a huge growing epidemic that is causing many problems with kids and families.

First, children are not using their imaginations like the older generations had to. I am not talking about imagination being used on games of killing weird zombies and other mysterious creatures. I am speaking in terms of building tree forts, playing tag, playing hide and seek, climbing tree, etc.

Second, kids are gaining unhealthy physical habits. What do they do when they watch T.V.? They eat. What about sitting at the computer or at a game system? They are not exercising their bodies. These all add to the growing cause of overweight children in America, which has doubled since 1976. As there becomes more indoor entertainment, computers, game systems & T.V., kids are becoming less active which is causing the rise in health related issues in children, and some adults.

Third, kids are lacking social skills, which also leads to a lack of respect towards others. We gain social and problem solving skills and respect, by interacting with other people. This is something that is unobtainable through a game or T.V. We need to have interaction with humans to be able to adapt to our surroundings, and to prepare ourselves for the work world. It is very clear that the more time spent alone on computers is driving wedges in children’s social skills. How can we learn respect if we don’t interact with people on an everyday basis?

Finally, family-bonding time is becoming ascetic. It is very difficult to actually get to know one another when there is a constant interference of electronic devices. When outdoors you have the ability to talk to one another without the many interruptions that these devices may inflict. We can be who we really are, laugh and enjoy one another’s time. I rarely ever hear my kids laugh when they are playing an electronic game or when they are on the computer. But when they are outdoors with their friends on the trampoline, I just fall in love listening to them laugh and pretend that they are bouncing on the moon. Or when my daughter and I are playing Scattergories at the kitchen table and my daughter turns to her dad and says, “Hey dad, mom and I are doing some bounding time right now. She will help you in a bit.” These are the times we want to remember. These are the times that are harder to come by. In the essay “Thoroughly Modern Dining” by Richard Pillsbury states “The changes that we see in our lifestyles while using them as celebration vehicles, however, tell us much about the nature of the changing family and maybe even suggests a warning about what may await us later in life.” Even though this essay’s main point was regarding traditions in dining out versus dining in, it hit home to how many of the customary traditions have taken a hit and have been altered with today’s new pop culture trends. We need to grasp onto some of the older traditions that keep our families together and our young ones happy and healthy.