Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We live in the age of technology.  On all of our devices:  computers, laptops, hand-held gaming devices, smart phones, tablets and game consoles we can play games, watch movies, television shows and listen to music.

When I was a kid, (back in the 80′s) we had cable television; I remember enjoying Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and PBS.  I had my television-watching times just like any other kid.  I didn’t have video games but only because the gaming industry was fairly new and the internet?  Well, that was non-existent at the time.  Regardless, when I was a kid, what I really wanted was to be outside and play with my friends or ride my bike from sun up to sun down.

That was back then…

Now, we have more cable shows than I personally could have ever imagined when I was a kid.  We have more technology devices that keep us tuned in to some things and tuned out to others.  My oldest son got a 3DS for Christmas 2011.  My husband and I had to make a rule stating that he is not allowed to play his DS before school (because he’ll lollygag upon getting dressed) and that he can only play it once his homework is done, after school.

With that being said — how much is too much when it comes to video games and technology?  Can we solely blame McDonald’s or the preprocessed food industry for the obesity/ inactivity epidemic in the United States? Does some of the blame belong to the sedentary lifestyle we have some how come to adopt as a society?

Case in point, a few months ago I brought my youngest son in for his well-child visit.  The doctor was amazed at how healthy he was and “on point” weight wise.  He said that most kids are somewhat overweight and that parents need to actually push their children to do intentional activity for an hour a day.  It never used to be that way.

As a parent, I am worried about something bad happening to my children while they are out of my sight.  It seems that there are more creepers out there today than there ever used to be.  As a result, I feel much safer when they are within my line of sight.  With that said, I find myself advocating that my kids go outside and play anywhere other than the safety of our fenced in backyard.  Maybe i’m not the only parent who feels this way?

Fellow parents, chime in:  what do you think about television and video games?  How do they fit into your kid’s lives?

 

 

 

 

It is no secret that the obesity epidemic is at an all time record high in the United States. The epidemic is not just affecting adults but also children and teens. Many television shows, documentaries and films are dedicated to showing the epidemic in a very real and dedicated light.

The government’s answer to the problem? Take the obese children away and put them in foster care homes. Because it is the best thing for the child, don’t ya know?

Dr. David Ludwig — an obesity expert at Harvard states that the whole premise behind removing obese kids from their homes is to put them into an environment that is conducive to weight loss and “health”. This is supposed to be the best scenario for all families as the end result is to reunite the parents and children in the end. Provided that everyone is thinner of course.

If I were able to talk to Dr. David Ludwig myself, I think my first question to him would be — do you have kids? Because I can’t believe that any parent in his or her right mind would think this was a good idea. Happy homes broken apart by weight issues — in my opinion would only serve to breed extreme emotional and abandonment issues down the road. The child(ren) will think that they have done something wrong to be taken away from their parents. No matter how much you try to reason with a child and assure them that something tragic is not their fault; they will always end up looking inward because as a child, they do not know or have the capacity (wisdom) if you will, to look outward.

Now, I realize that obesity brings about many health and mental issues and in general is a hard way to live. However, I say that if the parents have the proper tools available to them, then they should be able to use them to help their family. For some families — weight loss is a struggle as much as finances are. Do you want to punish those who are having a hard time of it by taking away their children and uprooting their families? Or do you want to make tools more readily available?

This whole issue would be (in my opinion) one more shining example of how the government wants to make my decisions as a parent for me. Our society as it stands today is so wound tight with public image, political correctness and “kool-aid drinking” theories. In some very fundamental ways, I believe that these kinds of decisions only serve to set our society in a backwards motion.

Is this obesity issue about wanting everyone to be thin and healthy? Or is it centered around the idea of controlling a population’s food? Things to think on.

So tell me fellow citizens. How would you feel about your State’s intervention in your parenting decisions? Would you advocate a program that was put into place to remove obese children from their homes and put into the foster care system?