Reflection on a Conference

Sarah P. and I attended a somewhat small conference today at Barton College. Our incredible keynote speaker was Dr. Deb Cassidy, who I think is one of the greatest advocates we have in NC. She is the new Director of the NC Division of Child Development, and she is already making some waves. The sad part is that she is leaving her professorship in UNCG graduate program in my department.

Well, I was just thinking about one of the workshops I attended, and I got up on the soapbox in my own mind and really wanted to give certain teachers (and some parents) a piece of my mind. Here it is, although those it's intended for will probably never read it.

So many children these days are sheltered from experiences that many of us grew up taking for granted. It was a regular occurrence to be digging up worms in the backyard and walking through the woods. Children today are not as willing to take simple risks like that. I am not talking about being reckless and careless, but taking risks like climbing a tree or jumping over a ditch full of water. So what if you fall in? You learned how much water your body displaces. Seriously though, even if it is something as simple as going down the slide a new way or mixing two foods together, it is important that children learn to take risks and test out their ideas. It develops creative thinking for problem solving and reasoning skills. Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone in order to gain a new perspective or learn how to cope with failures and successes alike.

Make the kids step away form the iCrap, horrible kid shows, and video games long enough to get natural vitamin D from the sun and earn some scrapes and bruises. Good lord, they will heal!

Okay, I think I might have been stepping on a soapbox a bit just now.