Nothing Like the Real Thing

I am currently reading Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time Affects Children From Birth to Age Five by Lisa Guernsey. It is an interesting, thought-provoking book that examines the research that is available regarding television viewing and young children - which isn't much, I can tell you that!

One area of research that she examines is about representational thought in very young children. As it turns out, evidence shows that toddlers may not understand that there is any relationship between the cuddly grey critter with the floppy ears and the big trunk in the board book and the big grey animal they see roaming the African plains on television. What's more, they also may not understand that there is any relationship between the elephant on television and the one they see in the zoo (or out on safari, I guess, if they were to find themselves on a safari for some reason). They simply may not be able to understand that the photograph or drawing is a representation of something they might see in real life.

This got me thinking about the implications of this research for Humane Parents who are looking to instill reverence and respect in their little ones. Before I had children, and even when Bess was very young, I vowed that she would never visit a zoo because I did not want to imply in any way that it was okay with me that these animals were taken from their natural, preferred habitat and were living their lives in captivity. Now....I'm not so sure. Is it possible that children are better off seeing the animals, live and in the flesh - even if it under less-than-ideal circumstances? Are they able to truly develop reverence for these magnificent creatures by simply seeing them in a book or in an episode of Planet Earth?

What's more, does this call into question the utility of using books for educational purposes for young children altogether? Don't get me wrong - I love books. I mean, I LOVE them. I built a library in my house to safely store the hundreds, maybe thousands, of volumes I own. I probably have a couple of hundred children's books as well. I love reading to my kids, and I think that it is important - vitally so - to help our children build an appreciation of the written and spoken word. However, I am wondering if my little kids are learning anything about the real world from reading books about animals, the environment, and other cultures. Should we just stick to beautifully-illustrated, lyrically-written, Waldorf-y books while they're young?

What do you think?