Convenience Shouldn’t Outweigh the Needs of Children
And why play is more important than wet socks
Spring has… splashed
This week we are finally starting to see some melting here in Manitoba, Canada. It’s been a crazy winter, with more storms than I’ve seen in the 15 years I’ve lived out here, so it’s a relief to see signs of Spring.
This morning I happily dug out my son’s rubber boots so he could splash in puddles at recess. When he got home I asked him if he had fun doing just that. He told me, “we’re not supposed to, kids might get all wet, and not everyone has a change of clothes at school.”
So… Instead of simply asking parents to send extra clothes, we take away one of the best parts of this time of year?
I mean, come on, there’s an entire cartoon predicated upon the pure joy of jumping in MUDDY PUDDLES!
I get it, it’s miserable sitting in wet clothes all day. I’ve done it many times, especially as a kid. It’s a rite of passage, really.
We expect parents to send, and students to bring, supplies to school on a daily basis: lunch, water bottle, agenda, pencils, etc. Why can we not expect them to also send (and bring) a change of clothes?
I don’t get it.
I admit, I’ve certainly prevented my son from doing something fun, simply because I was too exhausted to clean up the mess afterward. I accept and acknowledge I did it for my own convenience at that particular time.
When I do, I then plan for — and make a point of — ensuring he has another opportunity to do that fun and messy activity at a future time. A time when I have the energy and resources to let him run wild, then help him do damage control when he’s finished.
I love to complain as much as anyone
This isn’t just about finding fault because schools don’t want muddy boot prints in their hallways, or parents complaining because their kid came home dirty and wet.
Personally, I love it when my kid comes home dirty and wet. That means he got outside to play and probably had a lot of fun.
It’s also much more than that.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Neurodiversity MB to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.