October 17, 2006
The Sissification of American Kids by Educators
As a kid, I played tag, football, and other contact sports--and, I lived. So what? Well, according to this article and film clip , the people who run the public schools in Attleboro, Mass. think that these games for kids should be forbidden because of safety risks--and lawyers, who seem to ruin a lot of things. But, my gripe here is with the boards of education that deal in such silliness. It's not just Addleboro, but here are others:
Santa Monica, Calif: "The principal said children playing tag suffered both physical and emotional injuries." Emotional? He means self-esteem. If someone tries to win, then he's hurting someone else's self-esteem and is bad, bad, bad. No competition allowed. Here's more.
Cheyenne, Wyo, Wichita, Kan.; San Jose, Calif.; Beaverton, Ore., Rancho Santa Fe., Calif., ...: "The bans were passed in the name of safety, but some children's health advocates say limiting exercise and free play can inhibit a child's development. ...Critics of the bans say playing freely helps kids learn to negotiate rules and resolve disputes."
Spokane, Wash.: Principle (sic) Terren Roloff told Fox News she chose to ban tag because it encourages victimization and students are encouraged to play. ...The National Association of School Psychology agress with Roloff, and other schools have been banning tag as well."
Sacramento, Calif: "Concerned about safety and injuries and worried about bullying, violence, self-esteem and lawsuits, school officials have clamped down on the traditional games from years past. ...At Natomas Park...yard supervisor Janice Hudson spotted a first-grader pushing a girl on the swing. 'Do not push,' Hudson told the student. 'Let her push herself, please.'"
Silver Spring, MD: "The school had been cracking down on those games at recess because, as Principal Doris Jennings explained, 'Body contact is inappropriate for recess activities.'"
Or, you can read a study that influences these school decisions. Neil Williams, chair of the health and physical education department at Eastern Connecticut State University, has compiled and updates "The Physical Education Hall of Shame" list of recess activities that he feels are inappropriate.
"The Physical Education Hall of Shame was established to identify certain activity programs or games which, although physically demanding, do not contribute to the development of motor, cognitive, and affective skills of the students. Such meaningless activities have limited physical activity time, promote minimal participation, embarrass students in front of their classmates and are primarily concerned with having fun. Line Soccer, Red Rover, Simon Says, Spud, Tag and Messy Back Yard are examples of such activities."
Well, we can't have games "primarily concerned with having fun," can we? His list also adds Dodge Ball, Duck Duck Goose, Kick Ball, Musical Chairs, and Steal the Bacon, the last of which I think is a game for inner city school kids.
Many of these schools banning tag are in Massachusetts and California, which are trying to overtake France as the land with the most weenies. Instead of exercising, maybe kids could take up some other activity that is non-contact, like target shooting, walking over to McDonald's to eat and hang out, or playing video games. Those are non-contact, so they might be good.
The education establishment is getting worse and more out-of-touch with the real world, desires of parents, and the best interests of the kids.
Posted by Woody M. at October 17, 2006 08:00 PM | TrackBackThe grade school I went to for 7 years had asphalt playground. We played tag, kickball, Red Rover, Steal the Bacon, basketball, plus Pick Up and Smear.
Steal the Bacon is simply a game where you have two teams about 10 yards apart. An object is placed midway between the teams. One player from each team goes out, tries to grab the object and run back to his team without being tagged by the other player. If he does his team gets a point. I'm sure there are many variations.
The knees of my pants didn't last long. I once almost was knocked out playing Pick Up and Smear. But that's how you build self-confidence and pride (at least most boys). Heck, when we got older and played basketball and football it didn't seem that bad.
All this sissification/non-contact/non-competitive stuff is bull crap. When you develop toughness as a kid, you will be better prepared to face the challenges of adulthood. I face each day with confidence because I went up against guys who were bigger, stronger, faster, etc. than me and survived. Sometimes I was victoriious.
My eighth grade son and his teammates inflicted some physical pain on the opposing football team yesterday, and vice versa. What I've noticed is that his team has an excellent comaraderie, the kids are tough, some play with broken wrists and hands. They support and encourage each other tremendously. I can't imagine my son not having this experience and he loves it. And he's becoming a MAN.
BTW = He had a 4.0 GPA on his report card last week, plays the baritone in the school band and is the drummer in a little rock band he and his friends created. So don't think he's just a dumb jock.
Posted by DADvocate at October 17, 2006 08:05 PM
I have a book that was written to help teachers with those students that are unmotivated. The first premise in the book is basically that self-esteem comes from success, not that success comes from high self-esteem. Should we send these districts copies? Perhaps these districts should offer opportunities for all students to find success, rather than take away opportunities.
This nonsense akes me think of that old Wizard of Id cartoon where the guy is applying for a job and the interviewer asks if he's had any training/education and the prospective employee says "No, but I have high self esteem."
I'm waiting for them to tell me that I can't have spelling bees in my class because it will damage their self-esteem.
I played tag, dodgeball and duck-duck-goose and I think my self-esteem is fairly normal. Well, as normal as one can get considering GM is my dad. *snort*
Posted by Jennifer at October 17, 2006 08:16 PM
I guess I should modify my last statement that I am as normal as possible considering GM is my dad.
Sorry daddy-guy...hope I didn't damage your self-esteem.
Posted by Jennifer at October 17, 2006 08:21 PM
My self esteem is just fine sweetie. And I think yours is just fine considering I raised you too!
*snort* back at you!
Posted by GM at October 17, 2006 08:46 PM
WTF?! I played all of it - tag, dodge ball, kickball, soccer, "off the wall" baseball (city kids'll understand that one), two-hand touch and tackle football without pads (after snowstorms).
Posted by Jeremayakovka at October 18, 2006 02:19 AM
If these kids are never challenged how will they ever rise to a challenge when they mature? We played all those games. I was always one of the last kids picked for a team, I never lasted long in dodgeball and when trying out for the swim team or track, I never came close. Boo-frickin-hoo. I got a couple scrapes in trying yet, it didn't destroy my self-esteem. I did make cheerleader though and held the number one spot in gymnastics all through junior high and most of senior high.
My questions are: How would I have discovered what I was good at if not given all the options? What if I was lousy at gymnastics and could have been the star of girls basketball, but never had the opportunity to find out? If they're busy "outlawing" all these games, what the heck ARE they playing? Shouldn't they be given all the options and then the freedom to choose what they're best at?
If some kids are not as good as others then denying those who are good at something actually lowers the overall standard. It's not just sissification - it's dumbing down. And that seems to be the standard these days.
Posted by Oyster at October 18, 2006 05:24 AM
This is part of a larger movement to take fun out of the hands of kids and to put it under adult structure and control, which of course is antithetical to the concept of fun (as well as turning fun into a consumer product). This is happening not only at recess, but also after school as well. And then we wonder why video game addiction is on the rise?
(We're also busy eliminating any trace of fun inside the classroom in the pursuit of a chimeral concept of academics, especially in our kindergartens.)
While I don't want negate the worth of organized sports teams, which do teach important life skills as well as being enjoyable (usually), we do seem to have discarded the value of spontaneous games and fun in the face of a phalanx of the self-esteem police and tort lawyers.
Our children will be poorer in spirit as a result.
Posted by civil truth at October 18, 2006 08:53 AM
And educators seriously wonder why home schooling is on the rise at an astonishing rate - but then that's perfectly consistent with being totally clueless.
True self-esteem is the result of accomplishments made under difficult circumstances. When academic standards are lowered to the point where everyone does well, then how does one gauge accomplishment? This also applies to the games kids play. Stupid teachers ... but then that's redundant ... isn't it?
Posted by Vulgorilla at October 18, 2006 09:06 AM
The main horror I see is the conversion of kids into soccer players. Sure, it gives the moms something to do, but couldn't they go back to having coffee klatches, or something?
Posted by jim hitchcock at October 18, 2006 05:49 PM
This whole concept of overprotection and the mollycoddling of self esteem is no less than moronic.
What's next, banning Pop Warner football and little league baseball?
Posted by Seth at October 18, 2006 11:42 PM
This is just another gift from our wonderful force of "Trial Lawyers." Didn't the MSM whipping boy - Dan Quayle tell us this years ago? Lawyers are ruining our country. The MSM wouldn't allow us to accept that information then - why should the allow us to see this now.
Children are now stalked, left alone and not permitted to "play" outside after school because their PC Moms are tricked into working (even when they don't want to) - no exercise.
Everyone's working - no one's cooking - more fat.
Left with the unsocial computer and television for their only mental tuning.
NOW - schools - frightened (didn't they throw out Pys Ed already?) into throwing out the only secure exercise time left for our children. Children headed to unhealthy and boring futures.
SO - look forward to a bunch of FAT - boring - unsocial children - - HEY - maybe they'll find solace in murdering their classmates - out of boredom and confusion! Geez.
Posted by chrys at October 19, 2006 06:30 AM
You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I did as a kid on the playground... We would flip teeter-totters over on purpose and stuff like that. Somehow, I wound up being a liberal anyway. Go figure...
Posted by e. nonee moose at October 20, 2006 03:23 PM
One thing that gets me in this matter is that the "National Association of School Psychology" favors banning tag. Are they crazy?
This group seems to have made a cottage industry out of grief counseling and other interventions with school kids that we handled fine in our time. Surely, most of us had classmates who were killed in car wrecks when we were young, and that was awful, but we learned lessons and handled that adequately without the "grief counselors." Today, adults go out of their way to upset the kids and make them feel worse over something that we used to be able to handle by ourselves or with our parents.
Maybe G.M. knows what's behind this group. I suspect a bunch of Democratic liberals, who use good causes and organizations with noble names to further bad politics.
Posted by Woody at October 20, 2006 04:37 PM
Great post. I've said for years we are quickly becoming a nation of wussies. I am so sick and tired of the this notion that competition is bad. And the feminization of our boys. Boys are supposed to be aggresive. That's why boys play war and girls play house. When we try to stifle those instincts, we deny nature's way of preserving our species.
Posted by Goose at October 21, 2006 01:15 PM
I don't have a problem with dodgeball and similar games, and it's a shame that kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore. However, I think this has more to do with the nature of our advanced capitalist society than with liberals vs conservatives.
Most people - not just liberals - seem much more protective of their kids today than in my childhood. We are also more vigilant about pollution, water quality, seatbelts, sexual harassment (and the list goes on and on) because we have the economic resources to indulge luxuries like this. Plus, the typical family has 1-2 kids instead of 3-4 and many parents wait to have their children until their late 20's, 30's or even 40's. As a result, we have more time to spend on raising our kids and to be involved in every aspect of their lives.
Posted by DRJ at October 21, 2006 02:26 PM
As a kid, I nearly had my head ripped off by a posthole digger.
Boy, those were the days.
Posted by Jassalasca Jape at October 24, 2006 01:08 AM
JJ, I think it nicked the left part of your brain.
Posted by Woody at October 24, 2006 06:26 AM
This comment concerned the dangerousness of agricultural workers as a dangerous occupation!
Thus, this post has been altered by the administrator because after several warnings, Jape continues to post comments that have nothing to do with the post.
Jape will respond that this comment has been censored, but nay, Jape has been warned about off topic comments before. This particular one was a smack-back at Woody for commenting On Japes Comment "As a kid, I nearly had my head ripped off by a posthole digger." Of course, Woody responded with a snide remark that the said posthole digger must have nicked Japes brain. But, the reality is is that Woody didn't say that there weren't dangerous activities that children take part in, or that accidents don't happen, Woody's post was about ending pastimes that have occupied kids (including me) for hundreds of years in one form or another.
Jape, feel free to make non-sensical entries on your blog. Not mine!
Posted by Jassalasca Jape at October 24, 2006 06:05 PM
This comment concerned the dangerousness of agricultural workers as a dangerous occupation!
Thus, this post has been altered by the administrator because after several warnings, Jape continues to post comments that have nothing to do with the post.
Jape will respond that this comment has been censored, but nay, Jape has been warned about off topic comments before. This particular one was a smack-back at Woody for commenting On Japes Comment "As a kid, I nearly had my head ripped off by a posthole digger." Of course, Woody responded with a snide remark that the said posthole digger must have nicked Japes brain. But, the reality is is that Woody didn't say that there weren't dangerous activities that children take part in, or that accidents don't happen, Woody's post was about ending pastimes that have occupied kids (including me) for hundreds of years in one form or another.
Jape, feel free to make non-sensical entries on your blog. Not mine!
Posted by Jassalasca Jape at October 24, 2006 06:15 PM
It's your blog. Overwrite whatever you like, whenever you like.
Posted by Jassalasca Jape at October 25, 2006 02:15 AM
