Daca va intrebati de ce e Matt Damon unul dintre cei mai influenti actori si producatori de la Hollywood, de ce sta in banca lui si-si vede de treaba, de ce s-a remarcat cu colegul Ben Afleck de la primul lor film, direct cu un Oscar  – pentru scenariu, o parte din raspuns e la… mama lui Matt Damon.

se numeste Nancy Carlsson-Paige si e profesor specializat in “early childhood education” la Lesley University din Massachusetts. doamna isi lanseaza acum o carte care se numeste “Taking Back Childhood: A Proven Roadmap for Raising Confident, Creative, Compassionate Kids.”

cum se afla in promovare pentru cartea sa, doamna Carlsson Page a inceput sa dea interviuri si recunoaste ca toata lumea o intreaba cum i-a crescut pe cei doi copii ai sai, amindoi artisti faimosi (Matt are un frate, Kyle, care e sculptor) dar in acelasi timp oameni impacati cu ei, modesti si cu bun simt.

One dimension of healthy childhood that gives kids a solid footing in life is having lots of child-centered play throughout the early years and even into grade school. Play is the most important vehicle children have for coping with life and making sense of it.

Matt played pretend games for hours every day for many years — making up stories, taking on roles and re-working his experiences in creative ways. Not only did all this play help build a strong sense of inner security in Matt, it also built up his capacity to imagine, create and invent ideas.

I believe these years of child-centered play helped Matt become the actor and grounded person he is today. It is of great concern to me that there is less play in children’s lives today than a generation ago. The hours spent in front of screens have replaced playtime outside school, and too much focus on academics and testing has eroded playtime inside schools.

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When kids are confused or scared or they don’t understand things, they work it out in their play. Using their imagination, they rework things until they feel some sense of mastery. This is kids’ ongoing way of coping with life and it is crucial for building inner resilience and security.

That inner strength and resilience begins to develop at birth. It is first felt as a sense of trust in others — adults who respond to cries of hunger and who can provide a home, safety and health.

As time goes on, kids start to carry that security with them on the inside. Security will grow or weaken in childhood depending a lot on how we adults relate to our children in everyday interactions. When we are too heavy-handed with our authority, kids often feel insecure or fearful. When we punish them or use threats and timeouts or other coercive tactics, they might try to obey on the surface, but they aren’t building the inner strength and confidence that will be their moral compass when we are not there.

Doamna mama lui Matt Damon spune ca si-a dat ambii copii la scoala de stat ca sa invete empatia si ca sunt oameni cit mai diferiti pe lume, de la caracter la statut social. si ca a ales o scoala care sa aiba lectii bune de teatru.

si spune ceva absolut minunat “Schools must offer children arts, drama — activities that can’t be tested”

Cartea domniei sale,”Taking Back Childhood: A Proven Roadmap for Raising Confident, Creative, Compassionate Kids”, este o editie revizuita a acestei carti pe care o puteti cumpara de pe Amazon.