What Mr. Rogers tells us about trust and honesty.
The value of educational television programmes goes without saying and Mr. Rogers was THE proponent of some of the best TV programmes for all ages, in the late 1950’s. During each half-hour segment, Rogers speaks directly to the viewer about various issues, taking the viewer on tours of factories, demonstrating experiments, crafts, and music, and interacting with his friends. Rogers also made a point to simply behave naturally on camera rather than acting out a character, stating that "One of the greatest gifts you can give anybody is the gift of your honest self. I also believe that kids can spot a phony a mile away."
Being able to vet what children watch on television, iPhones and iPads today is not an easy task, however it takes time and effort from parents and care givers. If we want the best for our children in life, it all starts here. Technology today is a double-edged sword; it has amazing benefits and is instant however it can be detrimental to children and adults alike. Giving children the opportunity for hands on interactions with others, is natural and should not be viewed as something unique. However, in today’s world where we have little time to “stop and smell the roses”, we resort to the ease of television, iPhones and iPads. Let’s go back to the “old days” and do what worked then and still works now.
“You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are."
