I once found a Japanese quote that went something like this:
"Give your child a big pasture-with a tall fence".
It resonated with me on many levels since I grew up in a household where there were many rules and restrictions. While I recognize that there is a need for balance & structure in one's life, there also needs to be room for exploration and fun, and this is largely overlooked especially when it comes to raising & educating our children.
I was talking with a fellow yoga teacher last spring, who related a story to me of a school she was contracted by to do preschool yoga classes. She was frustrated because she had been told by that school's principal that the children are
not allowed to remove their shoes during yoga. The reason: in case there is a fire/drill.
Huh??
Aside from the fact that shoes prevent them from doing the yoga postures in proper alignment, and that shoes destroy mats, (dirt, scuff marks, tears, etc) let's talk about the engagement factor: tactile input on the feet relaxes and engages them for longer periods of time, (think of a foot massage) and relaxation is one of the purposes & benefits of yoga. So this school policy has reduced the yoga classes (that the parent's association paid for) to the equivalent of in-school babysitting. (The teacher leaves the room entirely during the yoga session.)
But let us come back to the
"must wear shoes during yoga" policy.
It leads me to question if the children are allowed to use the bathroom during the day-(I mean, what if they have their pants down and there is a fire or a drill. I mean personally, I'd MUCH rather have no shoes on during a fire drill than no pants.)
How about water, snacks and lunch? Are they not allowed either? I mean someone could choke on something if the alarm went off and startled them. (Or if they tripped on their shoelaces.)
And in the absence of a fire drill: Pencils? Crayons? Paint? Scissors? How can a school logically risk the liability of putting these
dangerous implements in the hands of children who clearly don't see those everyday dangers? (Until administration spells it all out for them.)
And don't even let me get started on that soap they use in the lavatories. I think its made from some kind of heavily perfumed toxic acid substance. (Children should be required to attend a "Right to Know" workshop before they touch that stuff.)
Has everyone gone completely mad?
Yes, I know that things
could (and do)
happen, but do we not see that we have taken all the fun and spontaneity out of learning (and childhood) by taking "safety" entirely too far? We make way too many (ridiculous) rules for kids to follow, so they don't take
any of them seriously. They
can't possibly take any of them seriously. We are not gaining their cooperation, we are showing them that the ones making (and enforcing) those rules are not to be taken seriously either. How can children respect and trust adults who appear to be intent on restricting them and their activities more and more for no logical reasons? How can they learn from, or, more importantly,
what are they learning from us?
If administrations are truly looking to keep kids safe, gain compliance, or to have quiet and order,they are going about it the wrong way. Here is just a modest a sampling of ridiculous rules & bans from around the world:
School asks Deaf Preschooler to Change His Sign Language Name
Australian School Bans Cartwheels
Primary School Bans Ball Games
Saggy Pants Ban
Denver Neighborhood Bans Children from Drawing on Sidewalks with Chalk
Ban on Talking at Lunch for 'Health and Safety' Concerns
School Eases Peanut Ban Policy After Protests
Its not even about protecting our children anymore or creating an optimum learning environment where they actually learn things of value. The kids know this. They know its not for their benefit. They know its about (schools) not getting sued and they know that is the poorest reason to make a rule or policy. Its also a sad statement about what we place a value on.
The solution does not have to be complicated or (heaven forbid) cost large amounts of money. How about if we start teaching kids
how to think, (as opposed to
what to think) and how to make better decisions? Along with that we can teach them to plan ahead, be prepared & be more self-reliant and resilient if something unexpected does occur. We need to communicate
better-not more-and infuse common sense into policies. We need to make fewer rules, for the right reasons.
If we clear bigger pastures & build taller fences, I believe that the rest will fall into place.
**What are some of the ridiculous rules or policies that your school, company or community has adopted? Please share with us in the comments below! (Feel free to post article links and your suggestions for more logical solutions.)
Contact Barbara through www.bodylogique.com
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