We have two of our grandchildren staying with us, on a visit from abroad and therefore on half-term this week, and, having spent each afternoon on the nearby playground, they have been amazed that at no occasion have they been joined by local children after their school time! So, when it's school out time, what do children do? Sit at the computer? Watch TV? Or what?
The playground is great, even with a small football pitch, the weather has been gorgeous - but no children.
Why aren't they outside?
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Monika, if it's anything like around here, it is due to the ever increasing amount of homework they get, to keep the Ofsted reports to the highest levels.
Not sure if that really benefits the pupils, or the schools!
Not sure if that really benefits the pupils, or the schools!
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
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Primrose
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They're either doing homework, or glued to the computer indoors catching up on their Facebook contacts. No wonder we're creating a generation of obese children - they never get any exercise and will probably all be wearing glasses by the time they're 20 because of eyestrain.
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alan refail
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If young children are being given homework on a regular basis the schools have a lot to answer for! When I was at primary school the only "homework" was to learn the words for the weekly Friday spelling test. *
From the age of about 5 or 6 I was out and about evenings and weekends unsupervised with my friends, wandering lanes, paddling in the (tidal) river, invading farmers' barns and all manner of other wickedness!
But it was a very small village with little traffic. It did have the "paedophiles" which too many parents have been educated by the media to have a pathological fear of nowadays. Back in those far-off days they were just called "a bit funny" and we kept well clear. Living again in a small village, there are fewer children about, apart from the few older ones congregating to drink and smoke in the alley leading to the council houses.
* Witch ov coarse iz wye eye am sew gud at speling now
From the age of about 5 or 6 I was out and about evenings and weekends unsupervised with my friends, wandering lanes, paddling in the (tidal) river, invading farmers' barns and all manner of other wickedness!
But it was a very small village with little traffic. It did have the "paedophiles" which too many parents have been educated by the media to have a pathological fear of nowadays. Back in those far-off days they were just called "a bit funny" and we kept well clear. Living again in a small village, there are fewer children about, apart from the few older ones congregating to drink and smoke in the alley leading to the council houses.
* Witch ov coarse iz wye eye am sew gud at speling now
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PLUMPUDDING
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My friend's four year old grandson came home with some homework a couple of weeks ago and his father went to the school and told the teacher that he was not going to allow him to do any homework and that the teacher should do her job properly and teach the children while they were at school.
A four year old is usually very tired after a day at school but soon revives after tea, and some fresh air and fun. I've noticed my neighbours' four young children always play out when they come home, and usually come round to collect their footballs when they've all ended up in my hen run.
But in general if they don't have a garden to play in parents won't let them out on their own which is very sad. Like Alan I had lots of freedom to roam about in local woods and parks a fair distance from home and spent many an hour damming streams and getting my wellies full of water and collecting frog spawn from the pond. I usually was wet through or covered in mud when I came home. All the local children used to play football and cricket, tin can lockey, hide and seek and lots of other group games. Its a pity children can't just be children anymore without everything being deemed too dangerous.
A four year old is usually very tired after a day at school but soon revives after tea, and some fresh air and fun. I've noticed my neighbours' four young children always play out when they come home, and usually come round to collect their footballs when they've all ended up in my hen run.
But in general if they don't have a garden to play in parents won't let them out on their own which is very sad. Like Alan I had lots of freedom to roam about in local woods and parks a fair distance from home and spent many an hour damming streams and getting my wellies full of water and collecting frog spawn from the pond. I usually was wet through or covered in mud when I came home. All the local children used to play football and cricket, tin can lockey, hide and seek and lots of other group games. Its a pity children can't just be children anymore without everything being deemed too dangerous.
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Primrose
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I feel really sad for today's generation of children growing up. They have completely lost the magic of childhood, playing in woods unhampered, making little camps, catching tiddlers in local streams, lighting camp fires & cooking sausages on sticks over them, or just out playing football.
I consider all these activities that I was allowed to indulge in, just as the war had ended, helped give me the confidence to learn how start to do things off my own initiative. I guess parents in those days considered that the only serious risk to life & limb was from bombs dropping, and once they were no longer around, a few muddy clothes or soggy shoes from slipping into streams when kids came home at the end of the days was a small price to pay. Sadly children are no longer in touch with their natural world in the same way that we were when growing up.
I consider all these activities that I was allowed to indulge in, just as the war had ended, helped give me the confidence to learn how start to do things off my own initiative. I guess parents in those days considered that the only serious risk to life & limb was from bombs dropping, and once they were no longer around, a few muddy clothes or soggy shoes from slipping into streams when kids came home at the end of the days was a small price to pay. Sadly children are no longer in touch with their natural world in the same way that we were when growing up.
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alan refail
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Plumpudding wrote:My friend's four year old grandson came home with some homework a couple of weeks ago and his father went to the school and told the teacher that he was not going to allow him to do any homework
Absolute lunacy!! What "homework" for a 4-year old?
Children should learn at school. At home they should learn about life - childhood, that is. Retired teacher speaking!!!
I am glad you all feel like I do, namely that after school, children should be outside, weather permitting, and let off steam, explore and do their own thing, if only to teach them to be confident and self-sufficient.
Well, this morning we all went swimming and I am pleased to say that our local pool (lovely and clean and warm) was full of pre-school children splashing, screeching and learning to swim!
Well, this morning we all went swimming and I am pleased to say that our local pool (lovely and clean and warm) was full of pre-school children splashing, screeching and learning to swim!