In the world of childhood, things look different. Childhood is synonymous with innocence and spontaneity, a love of discovery, a zest for life, a vivid imagination, and positive expectations. But the most important characteristic of this stage is a passion for learning new skills and a determination to achieve goals.
Every day, the features of life change in our view, taking us far beyond the areas we know and are adept at handling. Our lives change radically, and we become obligated to learn the basics of dealing with the ever-increasing inventions. If this is the case for us adults, what about children? Do the features of childhood change with the times?
How vast the difference between my generation and my children's seemed to me when I shared with them the entertainment of a recently released video game, with which they spent a long time on their vacation, at the peak of their concentration and enthusiasm, their voices and laughter rising to fill the place with joy and happiness.
I often fought against their prolonged sitting in front of these games, adopting an educational viewpoint that rejected them. I often repeated to them everything I knew about their dangers, and I feared they would become addicted to them.
But that day, although it wasn't my first time playing with them, I noticed their superior skill in using the joystick, and their speed, which, while delighting, also confused me! I couldn't keep up with them, so I resorted to laughing and mocking, trying to hide my helplessness.
What really caught my attention is that the game's stages embody most of the learning theories we teach; we see "stimulus," "response," "repetition," "feedback," "reward," "reward and punishment," and "trial and error," in a way that appeals to their minds, satisfies their ambitions, and speaks their language. In addition, many of the thinking skills we dream our children will master and find activities for them to practice, such as decision-making, problem-solving, sorting, linking, and others, are presented as they deal with all of this spontaneously, resourcefully, and without direct guidance.
Then I stopped and asked myself: Why am I fighting her?!
I realized that I wasn't fighting learning, but rather the Western "spirit of the game," its heroes, and its themes. I was envious: Why aren't there Arab and Islamic figures who can compete with these Western figures? Figures who belong to us, who embody our values, and who are presented in a format that our children can interact with, that speaks to their language, that contributes to building their awareness and identity, and even charts their path to heaven.
Our children today learn in ways that are completely different from how we were raised. Instead of fighting modern media, let us harness them and transform them into tools for instilling values, fostering a sense of belonging, and broadening horizons. Childhood will remain childhood, but its tools are changing, and it is our responsibility to be present in this change... not as spectators.