Welcome to "Five Dangerous Things You Should Allow Your Children to Experience."
Gever Tulley, a contract computer scientist and the founder of the Tinkering School, emphasizes the importance of considering his lack of children when reading his advice. Through our summer program, we aim to teach kids how to bring their own ideas to life by building projects.
And I do empower second-graders with power tools. Therefore, if you are considering enrolling your child in Tinkering School, be aware that they may return with bruises, scrapes, and bloodshed. Thus, we currently reside in a society that is increasingly governed by strict regulations concerning child safety. The extent to which child safety regulations can become absurd seems boundless. As evidence, we are compelled to include suffocation warnings on every single plastic film produced or sold in the United States.
W
...e place warnings on coffee cups to alert us that the contents may be hot. Objects sharper than a golf ball are considered too sharp for children under 10. However, if we eliminate all sharp objects and protrusions from our surroundings, children will be unprepared when they encounter something sharp or not made of round plastic. By narrowing the boundaries of safety, we limit our children's opportunities to learn how to navigate their environment. Despite our efforts, children will always find ways to engage in risky activities regardless of the rules. Therefore, this presentation aims to prioritize safety while suggesting simple steps to empower kids and foster their imagination and self-assurance in controlling their environment.
And here is a preview from an upcoming book titled "50 Dangerous Things." In this excerpt, we explore five dangerous activities, starting with thing number one
playing with fire.
Discovering the ability to control fire is a significant milestone in a child's life. Even if we don't recall it, it marks the first instance of gaining control over one of nature's fundamental forces. Exploring and experimenting with fire exposes the secrets and mysteries that are only accessible through direct engagement with it. Therefore, playing with fire is an extraordinary discovery we have made.
Through playing with an open-pit fire, children learn fundamental principles regarding fire, such as intake, combustion, and exhaust. These elements are crucial for maintaining a well-controlled fire. The open-pit fire can be considered a laboratory, where kids can explore and discover various lessons. Allowing them to experiment with it independently will result in valuable insights that cannot be gained from playing with Dora the Explorer toys. Additionally, it is important for children to have a pocketknife.
Pocketknives are losing popularity in our culture, but I believe this is unfortunate. (Laughter) The first pocketknife you receive is like a versatile universal tool. It can act as a spatula, pry bar, screwdriver, and blade. It is a powerful and empowering tool.
Across various cultures, it is common for children to receive knives at a young age, including toddlers. Such a tradition can be observed in Inuit culture where youngsters are trained to slice whale blubber. As a 10-year-old, I was deeply affected by a Canadian Film Board production that depicted this practice. It intrigued me to witness infants interact with knives as it revealed their ability to develop identity and self-awareness through early tool usage.
The text discusses the implementation of straightforward rules for children to follow when using a blade. These rules include
cutting away from their bodies, maintaining a sharp blade, and avoiding the application of excessive force. Despite the inevitability of accidents, such as cutting oneself, the text acknowledges that these injuries are likely to happen among young individuals. However, it emphasizes that children's bodies have a quick healing process.
(Laughter) The third option involves using a spear. Our brains are naturally inclined to throw objects, and just like muscles, certain parts of our brain can weaken if not exercised. However, exercising these parts contributes to the overall strength of our brain. This is also applicable to throwing objects, as it stimulates the frontal and parietal lobes which are responsible for visual acuity, understanding three-dimensional concepts, and problem-solving skills. Thus, practicing throwing helps improve visualization abilities and predictive skills.
"And throwing is a combination of analytical and physical skill, making it ideal for whole-body training. Target-based practice, such as this, also helps children enhance their attention and concentration skills. Hence, these are excellent activities. Additionally, number four involves deconstructing appliances.
Inside your dishwasher, there are many fascinating things to explore. Instead of throwing out appliances, consider disassembling them with your child or sending them to my school for a joint disassembly project. Even if you are unsure of the purpose of each part, attempting to decipher their functions is an excellent exercise for children. It instills in them the belief that they can dismantle items and comprehend their components, no matter how intricate. This, in turn, fosters an understanding that everything can eventually be understood. The concept that something can be known is valuable.
So these black boxes that we live with and take for granted are actually
sophisticated creations made by others and their understanding is possible. Number five is a two-part recommendation – break the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. There exist regulations beyond safety measures that aim to restrict our ability to engage with the possessions we own – specifically, digital media in this instance. It is a remarkably effortless process – purchase a song on iTunes, record it onto a CD, and subsequently extract the CD's contents to an MP3 format, allowing you to play it on the exact same computer.
Children should be aware that violating the law can lead to prosecution by the RIAA. Understanding that unintentional infractions can occur and that laws need interpretation is crucial. This concept is often introduced to children through activities such as dismantling and repurposing items, as well as when they are taught how to operate a vehicle. Driving a car is an immensely empowering experience for young individuals, making it an unparalleled adventure.
If you are uncomfortable with breaking the law, you have the option to drive a car alongside your child. This stage in a child's development corresponds to their fascination with big things like dinosaurs and their curiosity about the world outside. A car serves as a similar object that allows them to experience a sense of control and understanding of the world around them, which is usually beyond their reach.
So, it is perfectly legal to find a large empty lot on private property, ensuring that there is nothing in it, and allow them to drive your car. This activity is actually very safe and enjoyable for the entire family. Therefore, let's review the steps: that's all.
That is the fifth and a
half number. Okay.
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