Statistics

 

so... what are the facts?

what are the statistics?

what is the potential loss?

what is the potential gain?

tree climbing... should we allow our kids to climb trees?

a few weeks back I was picking my younger son up from school

the pick up process is not always rushed

there are usually a few minutes as the kids flood out the building where I allow for my son to mix and mingle with his peers

the kids have been on lock down all day

here is a moment where they can connect with their friends

so... I was standing under a tree out front of my younger son's school

after my younger son Grant finished with his friends he came over to me

in no rush to leave... Grant handed me his backpack and started to climb the tree

Grant had climbed the tree the day prior... some of his peers climbed the tree as well

there were boys and girls climbing the tree for a few minutes

but on this day

before Grant could get up into the tree he was stopped

a teacher told us that tree climbing is not permitted on the school grounds

no tree climbing on school grounds?

well... I was not shocked... in fact... I had vague recollection of my older son Dean getting some flack from teachers and the crossing guard for climbing the trees some years prior

curious I asked why it was forbidden to climb trees on the school ground

safety.

safety and to protect the tree.

Safety? I get it... there is a "chance"

there is that great big "what if"

but really... the playground in the back is 100 Percent climbing equipment... sure there is a foam pad on the ground

but in the end... there are plenty of "what ifs" in the playground as well

is it right to inhibit behavior entirely because of this list of "what ifs"

is there a way to make measure of the two sides

What if we allow kids to climb trees?

What if we deny children the opportunity to climb trees?

what are the potential losses? what are the potential gains?

climbing a tree is not just good fun... but good exercise

much like running and jumping a child must climb to achieve BODY MASTERY

if you do not learn things as a kid... you may never learn them as an adult

my guess... the child who climbs trees will grow up to be stronger and more healthy than the child who does not climb trees

it is like a series of pull ups

and well...

if you can not do a pull up as a child... it will be harder to do a pull up as an adult

we are in an era of hyper control

an effort to remove the dangers from our children's lives

but... our efforts are having a series of negative consequences

funny... I share my experience with another parent

she lashed out at me... obviously not in agreement

telling me... "grow a tree in your own yard...
two which I responded... "I have trees in my own yard, I live across from 100 year old trees in Rock Creek Park, I have a F_cking Climbing Wall in my back yard for my kids, and I have a pull up bar in my kids room..." I am not thinking of JUST MY KIDS! This is an issue with society as a whole.

enough on this...

not enough time to try and make sense of the madness in my head

definitiion two fits the bill

Definition of FASCISM

1

often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralizedautocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

2

: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control fascism

 and brutality — J. W. Aldridge>