measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The destruction of childhood It seems that every time I read the news, whether online or in the paper, there are parents up in arms about an activity that has been a mainstream event in schools for years. Parents whittle away at all of the activities, declaring that they are looking out for the welfare of their children. And I have to wonder if they really are. Take this morning's example: In western Massachusetts, a group of parents wants to ban slow dancing because it might lead to "intimate, adult relationships." It's also because parents are worried that their kids might not be asked to dance. I have this in response: the adult relationship thing is stupid. These parents have apparently forgotten what junior high and younger dances are about, to be honest. It's more a bunch of kids bouncing up and down, or swaying like a boat. There's no real dancing going on here. And usually the guys want to keep girls at arms-length as they dance anyway. As far as not being asked to dance-- rejection's part of life. If you're worried that your kids aren't going to be asked to dance, you probably should look into banning recess as well, because some kids are always the last pick for the kickball team. Better they learn it as a child than as an eighteen year old when the rejection letter comes from college or the first job. Those late elementary school and junior high dances are a right of passage. In a lot of ways, it's the first real contact that kids have in a social setting with the other sex. You learn what is and isn't acceptable in touching or conversing with other kids. Interaction is necessary to be a healthy, socially-adept person later in life. So what is the big deal? Do they think that a fifth grader is going to start grinding on the dance floor or something? Please. If they have such big qualms with it, take the kids out of the dances. Don't have them attend. If the parents' lives were so scarred by being rejected in a junior high dance and need to pass that insecurity with themselves into their kids, let them do that without endangering other kids for crissake. I've become more and more amused at the battle cry to "protect" kids from things. I'm convinced that there is a growing fad of parents who refuse to let their kids actually grow up into adults. They want to keep them as clueless toddlers until the kids are 18, and then throw them off to college. They claim that this protection is for the good of kids. But is it really? Isn't it better to try to let kids grow and develop, and be honest with them about things, while taking into consideration their maturity level? The more overbearing parents are, the more apt the kids are to go behind their parents' backs and sneak around. They want to have a good time. And overbearing parents simply drive kids away. Particularly in high school. I can understand the toning down of Halloween parties as a religious backlash, even if I don't agree with the severity of it. I can agree with similar toning down of the Christmas concerts and pagents kids do for the same reason. But give me a break. I'm convinced that there are parents who want to just make their kids' lives hell, not by physical abuse, but by boring them to death. ~ Mel. 11:15 a.m. - 28 October 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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