Coddling our kids

Okay...I don't have kids, but I did have a childhood that I survived...and as a well-balanced adult, I would like to think. What is this about? Well you see it is like this...I usually joke about how we survived childhood. We had metal everything from car seats to swingsets. We played catch with anything...including rocks. Our playgrounds were covered in whatever material was the cheapest for whoever built the darn thing.

These days, everything is child-proofed, plastic, soft, round-cornered, padded...in short protected. Now FIRST let me say I am not advocating not protecting our kids. I think most of this stuff is great! They prevent some stupid things from happening, but only some. Kids will find a way to get stuck, hurt, bonked in the head or break something...it is a fact of life! No matter how safe we adults make it for them. And when you think about it, it is pretty amazing we do survive childhood, no matter how safe or unsafe our environment.

Now for my REAL RANT! I just read a story on CNN about "Should we let our kids feel stung?" (http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/08/08/parenting.protecting.ap/index.html there is the link for ya) For you guys that don't feel like cutting and pasting and read yet more words, here is a summary for you. It is talking about kids being rejected by their peers and if we as adults should or should not allow this to happen. (i.e. inviting the whole class to a b-day party or giving trophies to everyone who participates instead of just the winning team)

DUMB, STUPID, OVER-PROTECTIVE!!!!!!! OF course, kids need to understand rejection and losing. WHY the H*LL should I give the losing t-ball team a trophy?!?!?!??!?!?!?! We are so concerned about raising balanced, happy kids that we are creating basketcases! Think about it...all my childhood I am told that I am the best no matter what I do, I get a ribbon or trophy for anything and everything. Sure I have great self-esteem....UNTIL I leave home and move into the REAL world. Here my boss doesn't care about my self-esteem...if I am on the losing "team" I get fired. And I just can't understand why!

Now I am not saying be mean to the kids but teach them how to accept life. Let them feel rejection, let them know that sometimes we lose, sometimes you have to rely on others to help you gain your goals and unfortunately sometimes the team will still fail. You know...let them learn the lessons that team sports are supposed teach.

And as to the birthday party issue, if you don't to invite everyone in the class MAIL THE FRIGGIN' INVITES! Don't send your kid with them to school! DUH! And there is NO WAY you should have to invite the entire class, unless of course you want to and can afford the expense! Every kid deserves a b-day party, but they are expensive and even more so when you have to invite 30+ kids.