Boys matter

40 Reflections #23: 40 days of raw recollections during the Lenten Season

Now more than ever, it is critical to teach our children their opinions matter. Shaping their views on today’s world will help them feel safe and secure, certain and sure. Knowing where they stand smooths the inevitable defensiveness life brings. Of course opinions have potential to shift and change, but what in life doesn’t spark controversy?

I watched the video “War on Boys” a few months ago and sent in a comment (posted below the video) as my response. As an advocate for recess and play, you’ll pinpoint the section of the video that sparked my interest.

Are there exceptions to this opinion? Absolutely! Will some of us agree enthusiastically? Yes! Will this frustrate some of us? I hope so.

Please share your opinion on the video. There are no wrong answers.

Here’s the comment I posted:

Spot on. Instead of celebrating the nuances of each child and focusing on their strengths, we over diagnose, over schedule, and over analyze our children. For my boys, when given the option to read or play outside, the latter is always chosen. Sure, they need to read and write more in school and at home, but the work is not presented in a way that piques their interest. The result for the boy: an apathetic attitude toward school. The answer for the teacher: take away recess. This is a disservice to everyone involved. Boys and girls need to climb trees, problem solve on the playground, and pretend to be superheroes in a game they made up themselves. Our brains need to be recharged by exercise and recess is one solution to keep boys focused. Let them stand while they work, benefit from project-based learning, and play outside. I never thought I’d say this, but after having two of my own, let those boys be boys!

Dig Deep: Run one mile today and time it. Rest about 10 minutes and run another mile. Did you beat your time?

Lenten Challenge: When you step out of bed, say a prayer of thanks for another good day.