Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Play

A student asked me the other day, in my "professional opinion," if I thought kids should go to school year round so that Americans could be more competitive on the international market.

My "professional opinion" (as a college instructor who has no children) is that kids should play more than they do. Adults should play more as well. I can't find enough ways to play, particularly during this harsh winter. There should be more things for us adults to do than to go to the bar and drink. We need adult playgrounds, more Dance Dance Revolution machines. We need big jungle gyms and exciting swings (and I don't mean that in a sexy way).

No, I don't think kids should go to school all summer long. I think summer is a time for other kinds of learning. It's a time for reading langorously propped up on elbows in the sun. It's a time for picnics and swimming and sunburns and throwing rocks at bee nests and then running away. There should be more fun and more laughing and more enjoying for everyone. We can beat out China any old day. I'd rather spend that time trying to remember how to hopscotch.

3 comments:

Foxygen said...

Apples to Apples is fun. I'll play that any time!

Kids don't read anymore, Molly. You know that. You and all your fantasies about kids in the sun, reading. You know what kids do in the summer? They play around online, like I'm doing right now. And it's sunny out! And Oprah's on in 15 minutes and she's doing makeovers today - makeovers!

Don't judge me.

Nik said...

You're the best. And we should play Apples to Apples. Even if the games are hard on me--they're better than Oprah--though I did waste many a sunny day in my youth watch Days of Our Lives. Sometimes, it's too sunny.

Anonymous said...

Like the others I enjoy Apples to Apples as well. Your Y sounds wonderful. I assume it did not get damagaed in the East Town explosion? BLS