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kids, gender, breaking stuff
Apr. 24th, 2010 06:32 pmIt's a cultural issue, and tell me if you disagree with this premise, but it seems like boys are more expected to tinker with, and likely break, technology. Much moreso than girls. (this post is grown from a conversation I've been having with Christine ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lyceum_arabica.)
My parents were exceptionally good about letting me tinker with things and break them. The more I think about it, the more thankful I am. (thank you!) I remember, as a little kid, taking apart an old dishwasher and a phone (and I was always messing with the phones in the house), and even computers. There were always computers for me to mess with, and it was wonderful. And they didn't mind (too much?), if in messing with the software, I broke it. But there was always stuff to tinker with, and freedom and encouragement. Later on, Dad let me build some computers that he actually used at his office. That felt really good.
So there was a fair amount of tinkering in my childhood. (and aside from that, I got to take LOGO and Hypercard in elementary school, and hang out with Brettzip4096 and our friends at Maclay, and I had some often-encouraging teachers...)
... but the tinkering, and the "here, mess with this! you might break it, but that's okay!" -- that was pretty important.
Did you have a similar environment, growing up? Do you think it helped? How can we help more little kids of various genders be allowed to break things?
lyceum_arabica.)My parents were exceptionally good about letting me tinker with things and break them. The more I think about it, the more thankful I am. (thank you!) I remember, as a little kid, taking apart an old dishwasher and a phone (and I was always messing with the phones in the house), and even computers. There were always computers for me to mess with, and it was wonderful. And they didn't mind (too much?), if in messing with the software, I broke it. But there was always stuff to tinker with, and freedom and encouragement. Later on, Dad let me build some computers that he actually used at his office. That felt really good.
So there was a fair amount of tinkering in my childhood. (and aside from that, I got to take LOGO and Hypercard in elementary school, and hang out with Brett
zip4096 and our friends at Maclay, and I had some often-encouraging teachers...)... but the tinkering, and the "here, mess with this! you might break it, but that's okay!" -- that was pretty important.
Did you have a similar environment, growing up? Do you think it helped? How can we help more little kids of various genders be allowed to break things?
