<< It really is coming to this.
Today’s really
stupid article came in from a reader who said to me: “Love your work. Read this and thought you'd find it horrifying/interesting....”
First of all, great way to begin a conversation with me. Always tell me you love my work. I also would have accepted “You’re hilarious,” and “Your work is thought provoking and hilarious. I love it.” However, this fan forgot to tell me that I’m pretty. The beginning of every conversation between a fan and me should begin like this: “Mother, you’re funny and pretty and funny,” or some variation of that.
Otherwise I might not listen.
However, in this case since this fan loved my work, I went ahead and read the horrifying/interesting article he sent me.
This week’s reason my kids are learning Chinese comes from a place that a friend of mine affectionately refers to as “America’s Hat,” or CANADA! It seems that the US is not the only place where children are being raised in a police state. Although in Canada I believe they call it “Le police state.”
A school in Canada put a ban on kindergartners touching during recess. A letter actually went home to parents advising them of the new hands-off rule which prohibits games such as tag, holding hands and imaginary Star Wars light saber duels.
WHY?
The article states: “ban was put in place as a result of several playground injuries over the past few weeks due to games and other hands-on play during recess,” and goes on to ask “parents to talk to their children about the new rules and encourage them to come up imaginary games that don’t involve "fighting.” The article quotes a parent who says, "No tag, no hugging, no touching at all."
Best part? Your child will get sent to the office if they don’t follow the new rules. Let me repeat that: YOUR KINDERGARTNER WILL BE SENT TO THE OFFICE FOR HUGGING HER FRIEND.
These girls are asking for it!
You know that this happened because some kids got hurt on the playground and the PARENTS complained right? If you think the school just loves to add extra work to their teachers such as enforcing the no hugging rule with 5 year olds while they are playing at recess, you’re DEAD WRONG.
Here’s what I think happened: Somebody’s kid got hurt physically and emotionally during tag. The parent freaked out and called the school. Probably threatened to go over their heads if they didn’t do something to protect their baby. The school responded with this sad attempt at compromise.
Once again, it’s the parents. They make the schools do crazy things like this. Instead of giving the kids tools to be successful on the playground should physical things happen, they teach the kids to come home with their tails firmly between their legs whining about how someone else made them fall down and waaah, it wasn’t fair. The parents then continue setting a poor example by then calling the school and blaming the teachers.
Teaching them that everything is always someone else’s fault stunts empathy, emotional intelligence and stifles ambition. Making kids self-centered and lazy.
And I want to live at home when I'm 30!
Which means the Canadians had better start learning Chinese. Or as the Candaians say, "Le Chinese, eh."