Will my child only sit in front of a screen all day ...

Many parents new to unschooling read about others that do not limit TV or Video Games and are so afraid that if they let their kids  do it that is all they are going to do.
They says they want their kids to be in nature, play outside and not just sit there. They clearly think that playing video games has no value other than probably working on hand-eye coordination.
They are afraid. They do not even know really what they are afraid of. They repeat things they heard and read instead of looking at their children and seeing them.

My 7 year old daughter is an avid Minecrafter, specially now in cold Minnesota and the weather is very cold and we are indoors a lot she will spend hours playing Minecraft and Skyping her friends.

But here is a collection of our Spring/Fall/Summer activities ! She doesn't just play video games.

 Hiking with Girls Scouts at Nature Center

 Playing with kittens in the barn.

 Hiking with cousins at local park.

 Hiking with both Grandmothers and cousins.

 Playing with mud.

Getting her calf ready for 4-H show.

 At an anime convention in full cosplay.

 With friend she made at anime convention after being part of her team where she sang and even won a task for her group by reading and reciting a text.

 Showing her fall calf Lid at Dodge Co. Fair.

 Showing a heifer for a family friend at Dodge Co. Fair.

 Keeping the animals set up clean and tidy at our local County Fair. No one told her to, she just does it.

 

Showing in her Cloverbud class for 4-H

 With her fall heifer Lid at Olmsted County Fair.

 Her and Lid again!

 Horseback riding lessons with Quest.

 Ringing the bell.

 Washing clothes

 Milking for city people!

 Drilling holes!

 Chores time! Feeding babies!

 Another day riding Quest bareback !

 Trail riding with mom and friends.

 Taking care of horse after trail riding!

 Corn from our vegetable garden is what is for dinner!

 Playing with her calf

 After ditch pick up , a community service with her 4-H Club.

 Finding amazing natural forming rock sculptures in the gravel!

 Super happy with the present her online Minecraft/Skype friend sent her!!

 Watching ultrasound being done in pregnant cows for sexing. The veterinarian has this tablet that she could watch it live while he did it to our cows.

 Watching her brother build an amazing gaming computer !

 Chores again ! Babies are hungry.

 Wonderful friends made at the Unschooling Conference.

At the zoo.

Visiting the local shelter with Girls Scouts.

This was just a little window to a fun life where computers and video games and TV are not limited in any way.
In those months she also learned to read  and is writing a ton while communicating with her friends online!
That was mostly from video game playing!
Why would I not want her to do it?
She loves books and reading them! She still loves getting full of mud ! She comes out for chores because she loves it~!

Make their world bigger and richer.
Mud is not better than video games that is not better than showing cows that is not better than watching a movie with mom in bed!!!! It is all wonderful for different reasons.
It all has its value and time.
Supporting your child's passion and exposing him to the real world . Computers are the real world.
What are you afraid of?