Monday, January 11, 2010

OUTDOORS IN THE SNOW


I know I have ranted this till I'm blue in the face but I am still annoyed! I remember from my childhood that snow days in the playground were the highlight of the year... snowballs, slides, snowmen, freezing toes, teachers shouting at you to be sensible as you tried tobogganing down the school's front playground sitting on your schoolbag or a large textbook. I can still hear the squeals of joy, and the odd cry of a kid who'd hurt an arm or leg. Charlotte has just gone to bed moaning about how this weather is getting her down on school days. We've been back at school a week now and we haven't been allowed out once! she grumped. Council policy is to keep all primary kids indoors sitting on their seats during all breaks and lunchtimes when the playground isn't ice and snow-free in case they get sued when little Jack and Sophie fall over and sprain a wrist. Stop ruining our kids' lives with this Health and Safety shite and let them run about like we used to. Kids aren't meant to be glued to seats doing crosswords while the blue sky and snow beckon outside.

3 comments:

Harry Campbell said...

Surely the kids cd sue for the damage to their long-term health caused by the deprivation of exercise and fresh air? One minute they're telling them to get outside and run around rather than huddling in front of screens, the next...

There are actually laws about the minimum amount of air permitted over a certain time. A clever friend of mine calculated that this meant double maths was illegal unless you opened the windows (not likely at this time of year). Sadly this was never tested in the courts.

The Scudder said...

Hear, bloody hear !!

esther said...

That is completely ridiculous! Snow and ice you must go outside! We went to an ice field with the entire class to skate.

But I get angry whenever I read how Britain deals with children - you can't raise a kid nomally over there anymore, it seems . You need a licence to go play in a playground with your own kids!

Luckily it hasn't come that far in Holland yet and I hope it never will.

erik (.eti on Flickr) (signed in as my wife, I think)