Freedom to Learn

Thanks for voicing your concerns about this legislation. I just did the same on my blog, Playborhood.com.

This bill isn't for kids. They need less time in school and fewer requirements, not more.

Mike, thank you for bringing your blog, and particularly your post on "No Child Left Indoors," to our attention. Readers, do take a look at Playborhood.com. It's a great site. Mike's essay goes beyond mine in talking about the cost of this legislation. I hope he's right that in this time of fiscal crisis and concern for pork, senators will think twice before voting for this.

Peter,

I had a question, though it isn't directly related to this post. I am wondering how to implement your ideas at the college level. I noticed you taught college for a number of years, and I would like some ideas about how to implement this into a college course.

I think the biggest and most important thing we can do for our children is to TRUST them and trust that they will recognize danger. We can stop putting so much stock into the dangers of the world and start putting stock into having confidence in our kids.

So many folks are fond of saying.. oh, when I was a kid.. we had no car seats, we had no bike helmets, we had no this or that.. we entertained ourselves by playing make believe in the woods.. we built our own tree houses.. we were allowed to carry a pocketknife.. we were allowed to use these tools or have real fishing hooks..

The problem isn't just that folks don't "trust" their neighbors, it's that they've forgotten that after a certain point, a child no longer needs constant supervision or baby proofing.. after a certain point, they actually need less supervision and more opportunities to encounter and find solutions for potentially slightly dangerous things.

Maybe parents are spending so much time away from their children, that they fail to notice when those children no longer need certain rules that were put in place to keep them safe at age 2, or 3, or 4. Parents put those rules and regulations in place, and then fail to update them as child grows beyond the point that they are necessary.

It's funny, that "making safe places for kids to play" is one of the solutions to the problem. But, from my point of view - in a neighborhood that is overflowing with children who rarely set foot outside.. they have a safe place, that is currently not being used - there own yards. There is an enormous amount of children in my neighborhood, that I only see in the morning on the way to school and in the afternoon on the way home.. I never hear them.. the neighborhood is mostly silent throughout the afternoon. I never see them.. not even in their own yards. It's quite disturbing.. but, I don't see how creating safe places to play will work when the available safe places are yet to be used. Parents have purchased a multitude of play equipment in this neighborhood that I say standing vacant a good 95% of the time. Parents use the lamest excuses to explain to my sons why their children cannot play - oh, it's too hot out oh, it's too cold out.. ohm it's rainy and wet, oh, it's not raining anymore but the ground is all muddy, oh what about allergies. Why do parents always have a really stupid excuse that their children should not be outside playing?

I have two sons, ages 5 & 6, who are free to traverse throughout several lots in our neighborhood. They could be free to go further, but at the time - no one comes out anyway and so they have no real wish to go any further.

I do think another problem is that people make themselves so busy that the kids simply need more down time and they utilize whatever they can get.

My son's best friends, down the street, are rarely ever home.. they go to school, scouts, church functions, sports, and when they are home they have homework, chores, etc. And the parents have so involved themselves in the affairs of the children that the children don't know what to do without being told.. they routinely rely on the parents to solve disagreements that - in my day - would have been solved with 1 or 2 potatoes, drawing straws, flipping coins, catching tigers by the toe or other games of fair chance.

Something else, is that mothers somehow feel the need to rush to a child's rescue - no matter the age or location - whenever the child lets out even the slightest of screams, wails or even make believe cries. It's frustrating for the mother and intrusive to the children. If they need you, they will come to you or the hollering will be intensely more alarming.

But, the best example yet.. is adults outdoors. Rarely do I see adults outdoors enjoying time in the yard doing anything other than making their grass greener, or completing other yardwork chores.. Parents don't take the time to enjoy the outdoors the way they did as children.. or they are not able to keep their bloody mouth shut while they are enjoying the outdoors with their own children. Everything becomes a power struggle.. parents know best.. kids are smaller, dumber, and don't know any better and therefore parents feel the need to explain away everything, intervene unnecessarily, and prevent the smaller, dumber, weaker versions from what seems like inevitable disaster to them - but inevitable adventure and thrill to the children.

But, yes, I thoroughly agree with less money for school. It is lame and restrictive and effectively kills spirit and adventure by providing adults the opportunity to pretend like they know everything and the child's only purpose on this planet is to do as they are told, become who the adults need them to be and work work work.

There are no simple answers to address the issue. The problem goes so much deeper than the logistics of where, when and how. First, there's the fear of losing control - something may go wrong. Then there's the need to have control and power - we have to make sure that nothing goes wrong - but what is right and wrong; according to whom?. If something does go wrong by chance, no matter how infrequent, there are the issues of shame, guilt, and blame. Round and round it goes until the focus shifts away from why we begun the whole process in the first place.

I think too often, we get so wrapped up with who, what, when, where and how and forget completely about the "why?"

Here's a quote I recently stumbled upon:

"The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves." ~ Carl G. Jung

Fighting for our freedom to play, think, and create is not something I take lightly. Because without that, life is not worth living.

Peter, you stir up so much passion in me by speaking my language. I admire your insights and what you are trying to do for the future of education. It gives me hope.

I will copy this post and disseminate it to anyone and everyone I am able to reach, on-line and off. :-)

One more comment about safety:

Everyone lives in fear of what "could" happen to our children if we gave them some freedom to roam about, explore, think, and make their own decisions. There are so many "bad" things they "could" get into, and there are all those "bad" people out there to take advantage of them.

Call me naive, but I truly believe the fear profoundly overrides the reality.

I've had two scares of losing my children when they were very young. Once at a pier in San Francisco, and another time in the middle of Disney World. The panic and the frantic search that ensued were enough to put me over the edge, but they eventually returned unharmed. At the time, I thought that we were so fortunate that nothing "bad" happened. Each time, I tightened my grip and vowed to never ever let go of their hand again.

But looking back, their safe return was the norm, not the exception.

I've been thinking for quite awhile that if Schools and Departments of Education really want to fully educate kids about the world, they need to make classroom learning more related to the world.
Less time in the classroom and more time on field trips or exploring the local neighborhood.

When I was in 6th Grade I was in a special program where the whole class went outside every day to learn about nature and science. It was very hands on. And we had lots of field trips.

If Schools really want to provide a safe place, maybe those extra days and hours at school should just be time for the kids to play in the school yard/playground.

And I was thinking that maybe schools could offer summer day camp that involves almost exclusively outdoor activities. I know I always loved going to camp as a kid.

I totally agree that kids should be outside playing. When I was younger (not that long ago, I’m only 23) I was allowed to go outside and play whenever I wanted and was happy to do so. My parents actually discouraged me from being inside on a beautiful day. I had my share of accidents (almost getting hit by a car, falling off my bike, etc.) but things always got taken care of, cleaned up and I was back outside playing. I have to say that I am a better person for it, I know I can get hurt and heal and how to be safe.

I however disagree with giving less money to schools. They need money for paying the teachers and running the school. Schools already don't have enough money; I don't believe that taking away money will do any good.

On another note- maybe if more schools reinstate recess we can take a lot of kids off of ADD and ADHD medication because they would have an outlet for all of their energy.

Hallelujah! One by one sensible adults are coming out. The pressure of just letting kids be kids is crazy, not having them in numerous activities and clubs...other parents give you that 'uh-oh' look. But, deep down I think they're questioning themselves. We can't deny that things are different today and we were lucky to grow up when we did. One key personality trait that those good ol days fostered was self pride and confidence. As a parent of a 6 and 7 year old, I now try to let them experience some independence, but because of the world we live in I do have to be smart about it. I'll walk with them to the trail/pond and look at the caterpiller nests...but I let their imaginations take over and I totally back off. Stay within an safe distance but let them explore and guide themselves. They totally forget I'm around and that's when I know I'm doing it right.
I was dumbfounded a few weeks ago when I realized my son had never paid for a treat (soda, bag of chips) at the corner store by himself and realized he was missing a great opportunity. One night his 'treat' was to go into the store alone (we walked there together and I stayed outside) he picked his treat and paid for it. He came out grinning from ear to ear and said 'Mom, I feel so mature'. To think, that was a regular occurance for me when I was his age. He's now relating to money and holding his head a little higher because of that everyday experience. We're forgetting, this is how kids get confident and happily independent - they need it. I'm fortunate to have great kids, watching them move forward and grow is exciting and encouraging -- it's how you can gage what kind of job you're doing as a parent.

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I was raised up in Greece where the schools are far from perfect. In fact they face all short of problems. Your posts, however, have convinced me that the problems we face in Greece don't have anything to do with the country, but they are global and they stem from the nature of schooling itself. Keep up the good work, by providing insightful comments on the educational system!