Political Correctness ruins another holiday.....

[aprilgail2]

Yeah, those 4 year olds playing soccer need to learn what its like to be a loser. You're never too young to learn that lesson.

My daughter stopped playing at 5 1/2 because she says "this sucks, no one wins or loses why bother playing"...she would have rather lost than played a meaningless game. There are winners and losers in every aspect of life...how long do they have to have that hidden from them????

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

There is a regional public school district that has announced that they will not celebrate Valentine's Day this year. The reason? They want the kids to focus on practicing for the standardized testing - which brings up a whole other argument.

Celebrations and activities that we grew up with and all hold dear are being taken from the youth. Children are being pushed to grow up earlier and earlier. They expected to take on more responsibility and be more mature than they were 25 years ago. Do they ever get to be kids anymore and enjoy those years of growing up and learning about customs, history and taking the good with the bad?

 

[chobie]

Who said anything about 4yo's? The practice is hardly limited to pre-schoolers.

There are lot more organzied activities these days and many of them are sports related. Not every child was involved in a, organized sport when I was growing up; only the kids who like to play belonged to some kind of organized team before they got into middle school/jr. high. And most kids got their excercise running around the neighborhood with friends and without adult supervison.

Now with most moms working and people being afraid to let their kids out of their sight there is a much higher demand for organized sports for young kids. And many people put their kids in them to get excercise and learn how to interact on a team in a supervised setting.

Once kids get to middle school, the sports are still like they used to be with scores, playoffs, championships etc.

The only thing that has changed is that more younger kids are involved with organized sports and the parents have a choice as to whether they think they are old enough to be competitive or if the other benefits that playing team sport offers is enough for them.

 

[chobie]

My daughter stopped playing at 5 1/2 because she says "this sucks, no one wins or loses why bother playing"...she would have rather lost than played a meaningless game. There are winners and losers in every aspect of life...how long do they have to have that hidden from them????

As long as YOU the PARENT decide they should be. Besided they all ready play games with friends, run races, etc. where someone wins and someone loses.

Everything does not have to be competition for them to learn life's lessons.


And don't say you do not have a choice. If your community does not offer competitive sports for young tots, you can get your league started with other like minded parents.

 

[Planogirl]

I just wonder how most of us survived the time when teams kept score and Halloween and Christmas were a big deal in the schools and so on. It seems like now we're so determined to protect our little darlings from any teeny smidgen of negativity that they don't learn how to lose or how to celebrate various cultures and beliefs.

This thing with worrying about some kids getting more than others during Valentine's Day is silly IMO. That has ALWAYS been the case and isn't likely to change no matter how hard the schools try.

 

[mommaU4]

Just curious...

1) How *should* Valentine's Day be celebrated in pre-school?
2) How does calling it friendship day "ruin" it?
3) In all honesty, as a parent, which would you rather you pre-school children be celebrating, romantic love or friendship?
4) What other holiday's have been ruined?

I don't think that pre-schoolers or even K students associate Valentines Day with romantic love. It's just fun for them. They get a card and some candy. Life is good. It's the adults who are over reacting and reading all sorts of things into what to the kids is just a fun day.

 

[mommaU4]

I just wonder how most of us survived the time when teams kept score and Halloween and Christmas were a big deal in the schools and so on. It seems like now we're so determined to protect our little darlings from any teeny smidgen of negativity that they don't learn how to lose or how to celebrate various cultures and beliefs.

This thing with worrying about some kids getting more than others during Valentine's Day is silly IMO. That has ALWAYS been the case and isn't likely to change no matter how hard the schools try.

I agree. If a child is really that left out in the class room, not celebrating Valentines Day will change nothing. Are the teachers also going to go out at recess and force those kids to play with everyone so no one feels left out on the playground either.

Don't get me wrong, I hate to see a child be left out or have their feelings hurt but for the kids who go through that I bet Valentines Day is the least of their worries.

 

[cardaway]

I don't think that pre-schoolers or even K students associate Valentines Day with romantic love. It's just fun for them. They get a card and some candy. Life is good. It's the adults who are over reacting and reading all sorts of things into what to the kids is just a fun day.

I disagree. It's quite normal for kids of that age to have their first crushes. I know I did. Never will forget Becky...

But anyway... the whole thing is just like the point about the coach struggling to lie to kids aobut if somebody won a "no-winners" t-ball game. There will always be the booger eating kid who everybody gives a card to because they were made to. Do you think that solves all the problems? The teacher just end up having to explain why there still are differences that day in the way the kids relate to each other.

Let the day 14th be just like the 13th and 15th and let the kids do, or not do, what they want.

 

[poohandwendy]

I just wonder how most of us survived the time when teams kept score and Halloween and Christmas were a big deal in the schools and so on. It seems like now we're so determined to protect our little darlings from any teeny smidgen of negativity that they don't learn how to lose or how to celebrate various cultures and beliefs.

This thing with worrying about some kids getting more than others during Valentine's Day is silly IMO. That has ALWAYS been the case and isn't likely to change no matter how hard the schools try.

ITA, well said.

 

[poohandwendy]

Never will forget Becky...

Awww....

 

[Planogirl]

I agree. If a child is really that left out in the class room, not celebrating Valentines Day will change nothing. Are the teachers also going to go out at recess and force those kids to play with everyone so no one feels left out on the playground either.

Don't get me wrong, I hate to see a child be left out or have their feelings hurt but for the kids who go through that I bet Valentines Day is the least of their worries.

EXACTLY!

My son was new at a school when he was invited to a birthday party by one of the Moms who invited everyone. I was glad to take him thinking that he'd get to know a few kids better. The party was for a little girl and the only other kids that showed up besides my son and a male cousin were girls. And of course, they all proceeded to ignore both of the boys.

I just don't see that you can force friendships which is really what this is all about.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I just wonder how most of us survived the time when teams kept score and Halloween and Christmas were a big deal in the schools and so on. It seems like now we're so determined to protect our little darlings from any teeny smidgen of negativity that they don't learn how to lose or how to celebrate various cultures and beliefs.

That's what I was wondering. I celebrated all holidays (yes even Christmas) in school. We dressed up for Halloween and gave out valentines on Valentines Day. I'm only 22. No one thought it was wrong then.

In elementary school we used to have what they called Field Day. Everyone from all the grades were assigned to a color team. Then we spent one day outside in the spring doing relay races and the such. And they kept score and announced a winner. Never bothered me that I lost and I can be pretty competative. In the end, everyone ate watermelon and was happy that you spent a day outside and not in a classroom.

 

[poohandwendy]

The biggest joke of all is that this sort of mentality is not working. There are still just as many kids with self-esteem issues, just as many cliques and just as many bullies....there are still popular kids and the 'losers' that kids make fun of. It's obvious that this 'solution' of trying to eliminate competitiveness is not working.

 

[In a hurry]

In elementary school we used to have what they called Field Day. Everyone from all the grades were assigned to a color team. Then we spent one day outside in the spring doing relay races and the such. And they kept score and announced a winner. Never bothered me that I lost and I can be pretty competative. In the end, everyone ate watermelon and was happy that you spent a day outside and not in a classroom.

The worst sunburn I have ever had in my life came from one of those Field Days! I wonder if I can sue the school for skin damage...

 

[Bob Slydell]

Sadly yes. While I can see their side of it, it also results in many kids losing interest in sports before they get to experience the real thing.

If it's kept to the ages where they really can't play by the rules anyway, I think it's fine. Sadly I've heard of this reaching into the much higher age groups.

DS' soccer club doesn't keep score for their U5 and U6 leagues -- there's no goalies either. Yes, the idea is to get the kids interested more in the sport and learning how to play it rather than scores and records at that point. Then when they get a little older, you add in the competitive side of it. I think that's fine.

Oh, but the whole "no score" thing? It's all a technicality -- my 5 year old can quote me the final score of his scoreless games every single week.

 

[chobie]

Teams still keep score. Like I said, there are a lot more teams then there used to be and some keep score and some don't. It called a CHOICE.

I survived without playing any team sports ever. And I'm still competitive, Imagine that.

 

[chobie]

The biggest joke of all is that this sort of mentality is not working. There are still just as many kids with self-esteem issues, just as many cliques and just as many bullies....it's obvious that this 'solution' of trying to eliminate competitiveness is not working.

Well then we need a third solution if ultra competiveness and ultra non-competitiveness does not seem to be working.

 

[poohandwendy]

DS' soccer club doesn't keep score for their U5 and U6 leagues -- there's no goalies either. Yes, the idea is to get the kids interested more in the sport and learning how to play it rather than scores and records at that point. Then when they get a little older, you add in the competitive side of it. I think that's fine.

Oh, but the whole "no score" thing? It's all a technicality -- my 5 year old can quote me the final score of his scoreless games every single week.

Yep. Every year there is a big soccer tourney at Edinboro University (PA)...in recent years they eliminated the score keeping/trophies for the U10 age group...talk about patronizing. As if 10 yos do not know who won and who lost. If anything it is insulting to everyone.

 

[Planogirl]

I would think that not being recognized for accomplishments would be a blow to one's self esteem. I mean, what is really the point if everyone works hard and they all wind up the same?

 

[poohandwendy]

Well then we need a third solution if ultra competiveness and ultra non-competitiveness does not seem to be working.

There was no ultra-competitiveness when I was growing up...you played a game, there was a score. It was not ultra-anything. You won, you lost...you moved on. Period.