I was born in 1985 in a small community called Skåpafors. There are not many people living here, perhaps a few hundred. Everyone knows everyone and has always done it. I would describe my childhood as very secure. On our street lived apart from me and my sister, who is 2 years younger, also several other children the same age. We were always together and our parents were always together to. In the summer we were often down at the lake. We learned all swim at an early age and we were out-fishing, paddled a canoe or just played with something outside. In the winter, we were also often on the lake. Where we fished, skiing, built and played in the snow. Everything we did together. Of course, we were inside at some time also. But I can not remember that it was very often, and not as children are today. Sitting in front of the computer or TV. Cohesion among the children in Skåpafors was fine and we did what I wrote above, the most together. We played in the same football team and went in the same small school, or even in the same class. For some, this may feel like boring or irrelevant. But I must say that for me it has helped me later in life grow up to become a secure and stable individual.
I now have a son who is about 6 months and I wish, like all the other mothers and fathers, to give him the best childhood you can think of. I want him to experience what I and his dad had to do when we were little. I want him to have a chance to run around in the woods and build kojor with his friends. I want him to go ski in the winter and swim in the lake in the summer. I want him to run and fall and graze rather than that he may have a “musarm” by too much computer gambling. But above all, I want him to grow up and become a proud and secure citizens.
For that he must be the necessary commitment and interest of us parents and adults. In the first, we must show ourselves as good role models by doing the things we want the kids to do. Showing commitment so will also the children do eventually.
By today’s “stressamhälle” where parents don’t have time for anything, is not good to grow up. The adults are so busy that they do not have time with their own children in many cases. They are then feeling guilty and buy something nice to the child that they can deal with until the parents get time with them. I believe that children were better to employ themselves before “the computer time”. But now, it seems, from what I have seen, more difficult for the children to do anything themselves. They must have someone who tells them what to do. In most cases, the adults don’t have the time and instead put on a movie or a video game so the children can amuse themselves there for a while.
No, my son will have the best childhood ever! I will do whatever I can to avoid stress traps and allow him to employ himself in great extent. He will benefit from this in the future. I also hope that he will like to be out and explore the world the "hard way", through the scratches and the bruises. It is also how you learn best, I think. But of course with a loving mix of a lot hugs and words from home.
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Thank you, Frida for a personal blog-text. You write about issues that is very up to date, stress and our media society.
SvaraRaderaYour paragraphs contain a line of thoughts. For example, your first paragraph is about your childhood, the second paragraph describes your situation today. As a reader I can easy follow your text. I think the things you write about are relevant to your topic. That makes your text interesting.
Perhaps you can think about using formulations with words you know in English so you don´t have to use Swedish words such as stress-samhälle.
Also notice that “to” and “too” has different meanings; “…our parents were always together to.”
I´m sorry, but I don´t understand this sentence; “On our street lived apart from me and my sister, who is 2 years younger, also several other children the same age.” I can´t say what´s wrong or missing, but to me the sentence doesn´t make sense.
I like your last paragraph where you summarize what you think is important for your son. I wish you the best of luck bringing up your son!
Dear Frida,
SvaraRaderaI think most parents will agree with the things you write! Your text is interesting and your reasoning makes sense.
In your first paragraph you give a background to the topic based on your own experiences as a child. This gives the rader an insight in the things you find are important. You also write "Of course, we were inside at some time also. But I can not remember that it was very often, and not as children are today. Sitting in front of the computer or TV.", which points to things you find problematic in today's society. I think this should have been saved for paragraph 3, where you discuss other things you find problematic today.
In the second paragraph you talk about your own son and what you want for him. I think this paragraph would have come across better if you had let paragraph 3 precede it, so that the reader would have had all the problems pointed out first. The difference between what you find problematic and what you want for your son would have been clearer. In the second paragraph there is also a case of half-paragraphing, which should be avoided.
In the fourth and last paragraph you summarise some of the most important things you point out in your text, which is good.
You have topic sentences in all your paragraphs except for the first. I think a topic sentence there would have been a way to catch ther reader right from the start.
As to language, you should avoid using Swedish words when writing an English text. Either look things up in a dictionary, or try to reformulate things a bit.
Also, you have a couple of sentence fragments, e.g. "Where we fished, skiing, built and played in the snow." There, you also ought to say "went skiing".
Furthermore, think about whether nouns are used in the generic or the specific sense. I think the generic sense (without the difinite article) would be prefereable e.g. when you talk about adults in paragraph 3.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
Best,
Marika