Guarding The Garden of The Mind.
The mind is amazing. What it is no one fully knows or understands. Despite great advances in neuroscience, our consciousness remains a great mystery — comprehending our thoughts, reasoning and perceptions seems to be elusive to modern scientific methods.
Our minds are resilient and capable of doing remarkable things but they are not infallible or indestructible. Without proper care our minds can become dampened, damaged, and even destroyed.
Therefore we must be diligent and careful in the cultivation and protection of our minds — and as DADS™ we must play a vital role in protecting the minds of our children, most especially when they are young.
have found the following to be a helpful analogy when thinking about the mind and taking care of it.
“MAN'S mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”
What we see and hear impacts and influences our mind and the way we think — and how we think really matters because thought shapes our behavior and character.
There are many things we can’t control — like all the media and messaging that is thrust upon our minds through daily living.
But there are some things we do have greater control over — like the screens and media in our home.
Unrestricted, unlimited and unmonitored access to screens, gaming, streaming, and the internet can dangerous for us — it’s especially dangerous for our children.
There are many so-called ‘influencers’ on social media platforms, websites and streaming services offering ideas and opinions that would cause harm if our children were allowed to listen, be influenced by, and follow them.
I realize I could be accused of censorship or sheltering at this point — but protecting my children is not censorship or sheltering.
Being a DAD involves exposing my children to ideas that are different and difficult in a controlled way.
I know that once my children become adults they will be exposed to everything.
My goal before that day comes is to teach them the essential skill of critical thinking so that they are able to navigate the marketplace of opinions and ideas and make wise, informed decisions for their lives.
Furthermore it is my responsibility to teach them, by example, how to nurture the mind with good, wholesome and beautiful things. I want to do my part to ensure my children reach adulthood with minds that are bold and beautiful — not degenerate and damaged.
From my home,
Matthew
Founder, DADS™— Dads Against Devices™
Our pledge.
I will lead my family — by example and instruction — to be present, build relationships, strengthen the body, and nurture the attributes of love, communication, empathy, kindness, gratitude, humility, forgiveness, critical thinking, imagination, discipline, patience, integrity, resilience, courage, wisdom, and faith. To protect my family, I will not allow social media or unlimited, unmonitored, and unrestricted access to screens, gaming, or the internet in my home, nor will I provide personal smartphones to my children until they demonstrate the maturity to use them responsibly.