Oh, hell. The last thing advocates of good old-fashioned childhood play should want is getting congress involved. That'll kill it for sure.
I'm with Ann Althouse:
Back in the old days, it was just your mom saying get out of the house. Now, it's the whole government. The government wants me to get out of the house? That would have made me even less likely to leave the house. The real question is what would make a kid love to go outside. Don't we want kids to go outside because we believe it is good? If we're right about that -- are we? -- why don't the kids think it's good?
3 comments:
Want to know why parents and kids don't go outside anymore? It is NO fun! You can't swing, see-saw, ride on a merry-go-round, cross monkey bars or hang upside down on bars by your knees and let go to see if you land on your feet or head (I usually landed on my butt). The problem is that the laws to "protect us" have made it so that it is no longer possible for the parent nor the child to actually enjoy the outdoors.
Ever tried to get a 2 year old ready to go outside for a few minutes. My parents sent me outside all the time but they didn't ever have to think of the things we have to. I give you the "safety" and "anti-abduction" routine. 1. thick layer of sunscreen (cancer prevention) 2. new set of clothes that cover any exposed skin (tick and lyme disease prevention...also cancer prevention)3. make sure that pants are tucked into the socks (tick prevention again) and that the shoes are closed toe (ticks and injury prevention) 4. Find ID bracelet or sticker (with name, allergies, phone numbers and blood type) 5. Where did the sunglasses go? (to protect eyes from the sun) 6. Take child to bathroom since it has been 45 minutes since going last and heaven forbid a child go outside (might be case for indecent exposure) 7. Need to locate hat (to protect head from sun) 8. Don't forget the water (preferably bottled with added vitamins and minerals to prevent dehydration) 9. Bug spray (to prevent mosquito bites and west Nile virus).
Congratulations...you have made it outside where Mom or Dad has to be with the child constantly or else the child WILL be abducted...even in your own backyard. Parents have to also be right with the child to make sure that child doesn't slip, fall, throw or eat sand, find any "gifts" from outdoor kitties, get sand in ears, hair (which should be covered by a hat anyway)or eyes (which should be covered by sunglasses). Children shouldn't play with bugs, worms or any other little animal and hands should be cleaned throughly with sanitizing hand cleaner if there is any encounter with anything! Make sure that sunglasses, hat and pants are where they need to be (on and tucked in). And if your child wants to ride a tricycle in the garage add a helmet, knee and elbow pads. And heaven help you if your child decides he/she wants to take a dip in the baby pool that has 2 inches of water in it! So...anyone want to go outside?
And just now on the Charter homepage a link to another reason not to go outside...
Sand More Deadly Than Sharks at Beach
"Since 1985, at least 20 children and young adults in the United States have died in beach or backyard sand submersions."
"Maron and others advise the public not to let young kids play in sand unattended, and not to get in a hole deeper than your knees.
On Martha's Vineyard, lifeguards are instructed to order children and adults out of any hole deeper than a child's waist, and to kick sand in to fill them, Arnold said."
Better fill in the new sandbox.
This reads like the rant of a woman with some experience.
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