Tuesday, April 24, 2012

'Television' by Roald Dahl

 
My sister sent this to me this morning from one of the Waldorf schools in her area and I just had to share it here...now I should also be honest and admit that my girls do watch videos on occassion.  I have turned that ugly black box on now and again to get a rest, but do I see a difference when they watch too much?  You bettcha!  So this is kind of a gentle reminder to me to power through and always limit it.  And as a Roald Dahl fan, I appreciate his talents that much more :)
 
Television

The most important thing we've learned, So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set --

Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND! IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE! HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!

-Roald Dahl
 
 
My reader, Laney, who is often found buried in a book...

9 comments:

  1. It's been quite a while since I've read that poem, but it brought a smile to my face :0)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh yes, isn't it just so well written!?! Some one gave me a copy of it years ago and I've pulled it out now and again to read to our children with great gusto!! Poor things have been 'deprived' of TV all their lives..... ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. We just recently discovered that poem too! Just this past winter in fact, and I loved, loved, loved it. We read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and I found that poem to be absolutely hilarious. I think I even shared it with a few friends.




    I just recenlty read a post, in reply to a Kim John Payne article. The person asked basically, well, if they are not watching tv, movies, or playing video games, or participating in organized sports, just what are the kids supposed to do. I thought to myself, yes, what indeed! How sad that so many really are amiss as to the answer to that question. That is one of the reasons I really appreciate that poem. It brings the issue to light with much jest and light-heartedness.




    thanks for posting that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thats great...I love Roald Dahl.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you Jen for this one. I had the last lines beginning with It rots the sense in the head! on my fridge for years. It's a good reminder now that my children are old enough to have Movie Nights that they want to stretch into the week.

    ReplyDelete
  6. i find this so easy to relate to. the minute i let the kids watch a show is the minute i regret it. it transforms them into monsters...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi. I have recently just come across your blog, and it's great !! We are a homeschooling family in New Zealand, my eldest is currently in grade three and we use christopherus curriculim.It's great to find people such as you sharing your ideas. Thanks

    ReplyDelete