The Tom Woods Show Ep. 2701 The Dangers of Losing Normal Childhoods
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Oct 18, 2025 Wallace Thompson, an author and childcare expert, shares insights from his book, The Field Game Field Guide. He dives into concerns about screens impacting children's play and emphasizes the importance of outdoor activities. Lessons from games like tag illustrate resilience and the social dynamics of winning and losing. Wallace also connects childhood games to adult success, advocating for honor systems in play. He reflects on the impact of COVID lockdowns on social skills and imagines raising children with an emphasis on outdoor play and sportsmanship.
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Critical Developmental Window
- Working daily with five- to seven-year-olds gave Wallace a visceral view of how games teach social skills.
- Those years are developmentally explosive for learning cooperation, sacrifice, and rule-following.
Contain Screen Time With Boundaries
- Treat screens as valuable but contained tools and build visible boundaries for kids.
- Introduce technology gradually and create clear limits rather than total prohibition.
Losing Is Part Of Staying In
- Playing tag forces children to learn how to lose and accept repeated defeat.
- Wallace argues the real prize is staying in the game by handling losses gracefully.
