WATCH: Oh, Kmart!
Pamela Poole: Talk About a Choking Hazard! What I Never Expected to…
Playing tag is no longer a benign sport
Filed under: Activities: Babies, In The News
There have been frequent reports in the media of schools banning the game of "tag" at recess, and now there's yet another elementary school who has blown the whistle on the classic schoolyard game.Kent Gardens Elementary school in Virginia has decreed that students may no longer play tag after deciding that the game of chasing and yelling had "gotten out of hand." The school's principal explained to concerned parents that tag had become a very aggressive, dangerous game -- and that the well-being of children was at stake while engaged in it.
Many parents of young children remember tag as being a benign game of running and adrenaline - an innocent rite of passage for many young folk who needed fresh air and exercise to thrive at school. But modern tag, say many modern school administrators, is not nearly so innocent.
Kent Garden's principal calls the new, more aggressive game "noveau tag" and says that the play now involves kids who may not know they are playing -- that kids "pyramid" and "tower" and pile on each other -- sometimes dubbing the act "jailhouse" because a child is forced to break free of an unwanted hold.
Concerned parents congregated at the school to hear more about the ban, many of them expressing dismay that prohibiting tag "robs the children" of a special, unique childhood experience.
I know that aggression shouldn't be encouraged in children. But I can't help but think that banning normal childhood activities is just a little bit sad.
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
RelatedVideos
-
Dr. Phil's Advice to a Workaholic Dad
Does your spouse constantly check work e-mails and texts, when he or she should be spending time with the family? Dr. Phil offers advice to one mom who says her husband is married to his work.
-
When Can Children Start Eating Solids?
Is your baby tired of eating mush at every meal? Pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears explains “the squish test” and gives tips on introducing solid foods.
-
How Do You Start the 'Sex' Talk with Your Kids?
When is the best time to have the sex talk with your kids? How do parents broach the topic? How do you keep from mortifying your children? How do you keep them from learning about the birds and the bees through porn?
-
Baby Bottles and Tooth Decay
Babies, bottles and bedtime seem to go hand in hand, but putting your baby to sleep with a bottle could harm his or her health. See how baby bottle tooth decay occurs and learn oral hygiene tips to prevent it.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 2 of 7)
4-19-2008 @ 8:17PM
Chris said...My kids' elementary school in Fremont, NE wouldn't let parents/kids bring home-made cookies, cupcakes, etc. for the Valentine's Day party at school---it HAD to be bought at the store - fully enclosed in celephane or paper wrapping from the store. Do they expect parents to add poison or drugs to them?
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 10:10PM
angie said...i understand your thought. because you sound sane and not like some people. a worker from a manufacturing plant last year where my mom works got a ride home from some kids . like a 17 year old, 12, 8 and 4. because the guy who usually gave her rides home went home sick. it was 20 miles out of there way. when they got there they were asked since they were nice and gave her a ride home if they wanted to eat supper. they did and by the time they got back 20 miles later. they all had to be hospitalized except the 1 who didn't eat. because she poisioned them in hopes that the 17 year old would get sick. because the lady wanted her nephew to get her job at the manufacuter. it takes all kinds and you never know the nut jobs that are out there. hope this helps. i would never hurt someone like that but it takes all kinds. good luck. Angie
4-19-2008 @ 11:35PM
ron said...probally made in china
4-20-2008 @ 1:10AM
Sha(c) said...I think the reason why home-made foods were not allowed at your child's school is because of all the food allergies so many kids have today, and store bought foods show all the ingredinets. I work with children and we serve snacks that are peanut free, there is even a special section for children who have allegries to sit and eat lunch/snack in the school.
4-21-2008 @ 8:46AM
Melody Williams said...No they are PROTECTING your child from the nut case who will pioson them.
4-19-2008 @ 8:19PM
sm said...And how would you like for schools to discipline? We are no longer
allowed to take recess away. Schools are now required to ensure the
number of minutes of physical activity. In order to get those minutes in recess must be used so that they can get in the number of academic minutes They can not just let students
walk a line or do something away from other students. We can not
"make" them write sentences or do extra math. If we suspend a
student - usually that is exactly what they want OR it is a student
who is the last one that needs to miss a day of school. IF you do
suspend, be prepared for angry parents. Also, if the offender is a special ed student whose idendified disability has anything to do with his behavior you can't suspend him anyway because his disability (emotional handicap that causes his disability has been identified) . All of you very smart
responders who remember "back in the day" when dodge ball and red
rover was so much fun, - when one of your classmates got out of line
- what "discipline" was used? I'm wondering how many of you have spent anytime in a classroom lately? I'm not talking about being a speaker or a substitute or a volunteer - a real teacher. Educators will be happy to go back to
using common sense when parents of these children do.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 9:42PM
judithgrayson said...A friend who is a Harvard graduate elected to teach math in an inner city school. He left that afternoon. There was absolutely no interest from the "students" who were eating lunch in class, yelling over to each other, turning their backs to the teacher. Just two little girls moved up front to hear the teacher, but with the chaos it was an impossible task. I still think of those two little girls who missed out. We have a very dumb and out of control population, and every indication is that things will be worse. I am not surprised that these youngsters playing tag are aggressive and savage. We have devolved into a hopelessly lower brained society. It's horrible to be a witness to its crumbling.
4-19-2008 @ 10:50PM
Jen Henry said...Actually I did write one of the above comments about things 'back in the day' and I am an elementary school teacher. I agree with what you are saying as far as it being more difficult to discipline a student. It is. All of the reasons you mentioned are valid ones. But please? Even students with IEPs are not allowed to go around harming other students. That child still could have been removed from the game. Perhaps he couldn't have been punished but he could still be kept from harming others. A ban on an activity because of inappropriate actions by a few students is crazy.
If you aren't allowed to keep the child out of recess because they have to log a certain amount of physical activity fine. Make them run laps or engage in other physical activity away from other students for that day.
I still believe that there are ways to fix this situation without an all or none attitude. As a teacher I'm more concerned that my fellow colleagues aren't able to come up with creative enough solutions to these problems. If everyone universally throws their hands up in the air and says it's too hard no wonder the school administration just bans it outright.
Jen
http://furoreandfrenzy.com
4-19-2008 @ 8:26PM
mm said...That children are being robbed of their childhood is indeed sad. But please don't blame the school! It is trying to PROTECT children from getting hurt. The "game of tag" now is not as it was long ago for a reason. The real problem is kids spending many hours on multi million dollar media influences that are far from benign -and then exhibiting behaviors seen.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:27PM
big brother said...Land of the free , well free to do what i tell you that you still can anyway.
Reply
4-26-2008 @ 7:30PM
phoenix197230 said...Ok now that people are getting real stupid why don't they just stop with recess period cause a child will get a sprained ankle or they might just slip on the dirt. They are stopping all the classics and not giving a child a chance to experience all that life has to offer. No matter what it is. Now if the rest of the nation will stop with all the health related things like selling water or talking about how fat a person is then take away a game like TAG.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:29PM
Bill said...Damn liberals!
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:33PM
Tom Benkner said...This is just another example of the "pussification of America"
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:35PM
angie bri said...This is rediculous! Some people just read WAY too much into petty stuff like this! Then tell your kids not to play so rough! Don't need to ban a fun game just because of maybe what, one incident?! Too much drama in the world already without people making the most miniscule things like this a bg deal! It's not people! Get over yourselves, fight through it, and DEAL WITH IT! UGH!!! They must want desperate news attention or something.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:42PM
Mica said...This is ridiculous. I can't imagine that these children are the first ever to come up with the idea "jailhouse." I'm sure other children have had the idea but it wasn't enough to get the game of tag banned. I think the adults need to grow up and let children be children.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:44PM
WhistleBlower said...I'm a noon-duty @ a K-3 school, and tag can be fun and safe. We have our usual suspects, and if they show aggression, they are pulled out and sit @ the wall. My son broke his arm last year, 1st grade, in 2 spots, falling off the monkey bars. The monkey bars are still there, and I didn't sue! He prefers tag now! Our biggest issues seem to be, "She's being mean to me!", or "Will you tie my shoe?" P.S. NO DODGE BALL!! (now that is aggressive and it hurts)
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:48PM
joe said...Another sample of the Liberal Whoosyyyy mentality.
Maby all play grounds should be eliminated, build rubber wall rooms.
Kids cant be kids, and wait till they turn into a bunch of whoosy adults,,,, just like their parents.
Reply
4-20-2008 @ 8:47AM
Linda M said...Parents are the problem, they don't dare set limits for their children and are angry when someone else does it for them. I am so tired of these spoiled kids now-a-days. When I go shopping, they are underfoot and running around with shopping carts, parents don't know where they are or have any control over them. If you complain that they rammed you with a cart you get the evil eye from the parent and the KID.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 8:57PM
sue bee said...Maybe if society allowed for parents to raise their kids, we wouldn't have problems. When I was growing up, a parent was always home. Putting your children in daycare as a permanent solution at 6 weeks of age was unheard of. Now a stranger spends more time with your children daily than you do. Now a stranger gets to watch your children act up, and doesn't do anything because THEY DON'T CARE! No one raises children as well as their own parents. For the past seven years, only one parent has worked at a time in my household. My husband and I sacrifice extra money and one of us is ALWAYS here with the 3 children we made. Yes, we can't go on vacation. Yes, we can't splurge on that new huge plasma TV. We do, however, have 3 very polite and well behaved children who never act up in public, and who wouldn't harm a fly. Maybe we should all stop being selfish about material possessions, and start being involved in our children's lives more.
Reply
4-19-2008 @ 9:12PM
kate said...Isnt there supervision on the playground? and if the gae gets out of hand cant either the kids and/or teachers make up rules for tag? I was in elementary school a few years ago andd this hardly happened but when it did we figured it out (right now im a teen) this is a little over the top i think, i mean what kid doesnt like playing tag? let them be kids please they can figure out if its too out of hand believe me they arent dumb
Reply