School Rules

You can't play Red Rover at recess because someone might break their arm.

You can't run around the playground equipment.

You can't wear clogs, flip flops or any shoe that has no heel because you might get hurt.

You can't hold hands with your best friend. Something about "personal space?"

You can't talk in the restrooms.

You can't put your stuffed "buddy" down the slide.

These are just a few of the rules at my daughters' school. They have a great school. Their teachers really care about the students and it has a caring environment on the whole. But - rules such as the ones above, have bugged me for quite some time. I think they are what Beth Moore would call "rib issues." Meaning - there are bigger things to get upset and worry about. There are more critical issues to spend your attention on.

I just get so frustrated when my children truly want to be children - but can't because of "rules." Kids are going to play. Kids are going to get hurt. You can't come up with a rule for everything that could hurt your child. Because somewhere along the line, then you are robbing them of the freedom and joy of being a child.

I want my children to enjoy life. If they run on the playground in flip flops and twist their ankle - I think they will learn not to run in them. I don't think they should have to abandon wearing them altogether.

I think we should spend our time and energy (and rules) on more critical issues out there. Children hurting other children (rape, bullying, etc) is a great example of something that needs more attention. Someone put a chemical down a slide and a little child went down it and got burned. That's something that should rile us up to want to protect our children! There are many other issues that could use more of our focus as well --- but putting your stuffed animal down a slide? Does that really need a rule?

Something's twisted here, in my opinion. Something's skewed. And it just bothers me.

~ Dionna Sanchez (Keeping It Real Columnist)
Visit me at my other blog – http://emphasisonmoms.blogspot.com

Comments

[Veronica]

lol! Monday morning I got a call from the girls' school. The Little One had a run in on the playground. She is now nursing a black eye. The secretary asked if I wanted to come and see it; I thought, seeing it isn't going to change anything. And my little one now knows a head is a lot tougher than one's face.