Uploaded on March 30, 2008by ktylerconk This article is from TreeHugger
According to the Guardian, "Voce argued that it was becoming a 'social norm' for younger children to be allowed out only when accompanied by an adult. 'Logistically that is very difficult for parents to manage because of the time pressures on normal family life,' he said. 'If you don't want your children to play out alone and you have not got the time to take them out then they will spend more time on the computer.' to read entire article click here....
Working with school groups and youth groups I often find that teachers and staff fall into the "Folkloric" way of thinking; that when they were in school and kids that everything was better and children knew how to play. This is true in workplaces also - "These Gen-Y kids have no idea how to work" or another quote that I heard recently at a retirement party, "Once all the old time people leave, this place will never be the same, it was soo great back then it is going to be horrible when all these old time guys leave."
I feel that what they are saying (teachers and school staff) is a wishful thought that when they do leave things change and the place falls apart.
A selfish hope that they are so important to the organization that the place falls apart when they leave and these children are so screwy that they need me to save them.
What does my going on have to do with the quote from TreeHugger - we should reflect upon our behaviors and realize that the change and cultures that are created, we create!!
By being fearful of your children playing outside - your children and afraid to play outside, by saying that students do not share as well as we did - you are recalling glorified system and behaving in a manner where the students are not encouraged to share.
Remember we see what we are looking for -
- Michael Cardus serves as an Adventure Consultant for Create-Learning Team Building. Mike facilitates, trains, and speaks to groups in a variety of settings including Fortune 500 Companies, small business, universities and classrooms. Currently he lives in Buffalo NY, he travels to serve your groups needs - where and when your group desires.
