Spirituality for Kids is a novel site that was designed for parents and kids to have FUN, solve problems together and develop spiritual values.
Technology can make or break a life –it’s a fact. This is especially so for kids. Children growing up, left alone to play violent video games, may have the tendency, later on, to view life as nothing but a series of battles to be fought. Today, even child psychiatrist will advise parents to train children from early on to instinctively distinguish virtual life from real life.
We hear of kids playing online games and video games for hours, thumbs in perpetual motion as if their lives depended on winning a game. In most countries, gaming seems to be what a child interprets as ‘playing.’ But this ‘playing’ usually means figuring out how to kill some evil wizard or control the world. While there are some ‘good’ games, like Family Vacation, Nintendo Wii and Dora the Explorer (most Disney games aren’t too bad either), they are the minority not the majority. Other games teach kids how to solve puzzles, figure out things for themselves and comprehend fun situations, but is that all there is to life?
Without squeezing all the fun out of a kids existence, we must admit that there is something more to real life than ‘fun and games.’ What about spirituality? Unless our kids are clones of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, we cannot expect them to acquire values like selflessness, compassion, kindness, and love from a video game. Moral values are developed as a child begins to grow up and parents are expected to teach children these values. Decades ago, teaching a child values was easier; dad took Tommy out to fly a kite while relegating of his own life experiences. There was also mom who played board games with her child while telling stories. Bonding was easier then and parents and children were less distant from each other because they related better, had more time together and had to play games that made it necessary for them to TALK to each other. Conditions aren’t the same today.
This is why I got so excited when I heard about a new online site that’s changing ‘gaming’ for kids! SpiritualityForKids.com is a new playground where kids and parents can relate closer than if they were simply sharing a joystick or playing with a computer.
What’s the difference, one may ask – “a game is a game is a game”? Not really. Spirituality for Kids is a novel site that was designed for parents and kids to have FUN, solve problems together and develop spiritual values. It offers a platform where both the parent (or teacher) can learn from the child as well. What is at stake here is how both interact and are taught “The Game of Life”. Yes, literal life. Like, how to properly react to “given situations in the game”. Parents also learn how best to communicate and teach the child by finding out if the kid reacts more to sound, visuals, or tactile (hands on) methods. Parents learn by listening and observing their children, and no one wins or loses in this “game” – in fact, it is entirely non-judgmental. There are no wars to be fought here, only choices to make that help the child realize that he/she is part of humankind and that light and compassion are really the only keys to winning the “Game of Life”.
Why is the game fun? Precisely because it does not preach anything. Yes, there are villains such as “junk food,” “the temptation to cheat/lie”, and anything else that is not “good” for a child, but even the terms “good/bad” is open for inquiry and the players are allowed free choice without judgement. This makes both the parent and child “keyplayers”. The game emphasizes universal values which allow parents/kids of any religion to play it and discover more about themselves and each other as they play.
There are videos, blogs and even music to make sure a parent has every resource for both themselves and their child to become more enlightened, wiser, more compassionate and caring for each other, their environment and humankind as a whole. Is it a bit like Zen? Yes, a bit, except that this game seems to be more exciting than Ommmming… plus you and your child get excited figuring out the nitty-gritties in the “Game of Life”.
This is ‘good’ technology –when heart and computer work in harmony to inspire us to be better as we go through our journey and lead our children to theirs.
To learn more visit SpiritualityForKids.com
