Education Guide

It is not easy to escape to the beach of São Paulo’s raining and cold, yet we know that children deserve more than that. The malls are multiplied by large cities and many people just lack of confined spaces inviting, but then again, there is always an option.

Reflecting on the post Why book instead of library?, Published last week, I decided to submit the matter to Alana Institute, which has a very serious work on children’s consumption, a concern that should be everyone involved with the education of the current generation of children.

The interview with Maria Helena Masquetti, a psychologist in the area of ​​communication and support for the legal consumption and Child Project, reinforced my idea to introduce children to alternatives to consumption environments they usually attend, but more than that, putting them in contact with the public space where they can see adults acting as citizens.

During the Child and Consumer Forum had been very impressed with the speech of the Frei Betto on our habit to take the kids to the mall. At the time, I realized: it’s like diving in an unreal world children, all clean, bright, away from the diversity of the streets, many faces and colors of people, the ugly and beautiful, the sad and amusing that we find on the sidewalks. The concept of shopping goes far beyond the organized supply of products and services for consumption.

With my kids, I always had the aim of presenting the world as it is. But 20 years ago, it was more natural part of our routine experience the city. Still, I remember that one of the girls when he was impressed with the school to the Cathedral Square, at ground zero of São Paulo (SP), and found that it was the only one who had been there before.

And with Gabriel, I’ve already started. Because it does not need public transportation to go to the doctor or school, is protegidinho in the family car or school bus, we travel by subway on the weekend. He loved the father’s initiative back from school “busa” . Came home excited after trying to shake the grip and split the neck with the backpack. I think the minimum we need to do is remember to present the real world to our middle-class children.

Public or private

For Mary Ellen Masquetti, take the kids both bookstores and libraries is a very healthy alternative at the time that we live with so much stimulus to excessive consumption of products do not usually necessary. The psychologist said that both environments can be educational, however, it is recommended that children who attend will also be prompted libraries to libraries to learn to distinguish.

“In contact with the culture, leisure and healthy stimulus to their creativity, children can learn to differentiate the service in a public institution of a business. Do not talk loudly, move gently, handle books carefully, do not eat in the reading room, waiting their turn are important behaviors that help to give her important notions of boundaries and respect the space of another. ”

According to the psychologist, to know the various spaces, the child can understand that institutions are more permissive are thereby intended to sell something. “This wide range of products accompanied with a marketing communication that seeks to influence the purchase of these products has greatly contributed to family stress, precisely because advertisements never say” no “to children, encouraging them to unlimited wants all sorts of things , leaving parents to thorny task of having to say much more “no’s” than what it would be natural in the education of small, “he said.

Pleasure reading

Mary Ellen also pointed out the importance of parents sharing with children the habit of reading. Adults and children living in the same space in a bookstore or a library, entertained everyone with what is in their interest, it is a great example for their children. “This is only negative when the adult child of emotionally disconnect, allowing it to exceed in his childish way of dealing with books. Remember that children learn by example, and see the parents entertained with a reading may encourage them to develop the same pleasure of reading. ”

Less shopping, more street, more park

The way parents and children experience the tours also impacts the education and training of children, according to the psychologist. “Carrying a child is different from the mall to take her to the mall. Go to the mall one time or another, to the movies, as it became very common, may be limited to a reasonable contribution to the reality in which we live. Since taking her to the mall to admit that this place is best for their development and more conducive to his playing than the contact with nature, than a joke at the home of friends or relatives, than reading etc.. Besides being a negative acknowledgment that consuming is good fun, “he said.

Maria Helena Masqueti warns of the need to be aware of the marketing investment to protect children from the logic of consumption. Do not forget that the world consumption, the appeal is to buy. And that realization should help break the routine of practicality and curb trips to the mall in search of other suitable environments for entertainment and play area.

“While we are working to earn money to meet our various needs, marketing is also working continuously to detect which our vulnerabilities to use them to better capture our attention. And of course the security and convenience, for example, are other products they have developed in order to attract more and more to the mall, “he said.

The psychologist thinks that understanding the purpose of shopping, the adult can see how the child get used to this environment can push it away from your natural playing. And this awareness can help parents to develop healthier alternatives of entertainment for them.

“In a way, as nature is telling the child” in me come and explore the thousand and one possibilities you have to play and have fun, “the mall is limited to say to her:” Buy, buy, and only then you’ll be happy!