I believe the children are our future
…teach them well and let them lead the way.
I’ve got so much to say, but probably going to be unpopular.
Instead, I’ll just say 2 very important skills I want to teach my future mini-me’s that I think would help them to avoid a lot drama in their lives.
Skill 1 : Being a great judge of character
Want my kids to be able to read people or pick up on subtle cues and clues. Unless a person is a sociopath, it’s pretty easy to figure out what they value based on their actions…or even if their expressions are inconsistent, when a person overcompensating for something. I want them to be able to figure those things about the people they deal with…and use their knowledge to temper their interactions with people.
Skill 2 : Critical thinking in everyday situations
Time and time again, I’ve learned that common sense is not so common. People will walk into situations that the “common” person would know are dangerous/dumb/etc. and then get mad when they are in danger/in trouble/etc. Want them to really think about the decisions they make and consider what the possible outcomes will be.
I’m sure you’re saying :
“Yeah right KaNisa…you think you have all the answers, but wait until you have kids of your own…”
I always go to the “My sisters and I were raised with these things embedded in us…so my parents must have done something to have us all turn out this way…” excuse…
…yeah not sure how to finish that statement…
But yeah I think early exposure to something as simple as technology really helps with stuff like this. Like I’ve mentioned, I’ve been a computer gamer literally since age 4. For real in DOS loading up my games with the big floppies, one for the OS, one for the game I want to play. Command prompt scripts…all of that. Didn’t do video games as we just had an Atari, but big into Adventure games like Commander Keen or similar Apogee games, Monkey Island, Zork, Kings Quest (as I got older). Those adventure games had a HUGE impact on me and the way I think about things now…and I really feel like they contributed to why I’ve been able to avoid a lot of drama and learning things “the hard way”.
Here’s a classic list of Adventure Game Tips :
Always look at everything. Sometimes an item you need is only represented by a few pixels (a coin on the street). If you can pick it up, do so. There are only a few cases I know of offhand where this is not a good idea, and usually, you will have warning that picking the item up is not a good idea.
Pay close attention to dialogue. Clues are frequently embedded into the comments that one of the characters makes. Clues may also be found in the form of notes left around, sounds that you hear, along with the description of every object. In other words, you should always pay close attention to anything that happens. It may mean nothing, but you may suddenly realise later that it is a very important clue.
Double check for exits. This one frequently gets me in Sierra games. There is an exit at the bottom of the screen, it just isn’t obvious to me. It can be a good idea to first wander around, just looking at places and picking up any items that you can. Once you have some idea what’s around, then you may be better able to solve puzzles.
If there is even a slight possibility of death, save the game often. You should get in the habit of saving the game after solving any major puzzle. In general, don’t keep saving over the previous save. There may be situations where you’ve used the last match and you suddenly realized that you used it in the wrong way. If you don’t have a saved game from before using the match, you’d have to start the game again.
If you are stuck, think about the following. Have you talked to everyone about everything you can? Have you tried combining items in your inventory (when possible)? Have you tried doing something odd, just to see the reactions? (Sometimes, the comments made make the correct thing more obvious.) Are you sure that you’ve looked in detail at everything in every scene in the game?
My spare time ages 8-18 or so were spent playing dozens of games that employed this kind of logic. No way that wouldn’t roll over to real world decision making…
Don’t always have to teach lessons directly, I plan to set foundations. Make logical decisions. Be aware of your audience. Be respectful of others. Pay attention to your surroundings. More specific correction in their later years.
If they shore up on those skills and practice them in various ways…later down the line it’s easier to not be swayed by the fast tailed kids, or fall for the player, or pick the crazy chick who busts windows out of cars…
Not because “it’s bad to be free with your privates”, or “it’s dumb to fall for someone who doesn’t want you”, or “crazy chicks are exciting”….but because they know how to weigh each circumstance, truly consider the consequences, and make decisions that will net their desired result…(in the framework of someone who has respect for themselves and others, etc.).
At least that’s what worked for my sisters and me…
