There have been recent articles about schools now banning children from having best friends within the school yard. It is said that this practice is being instituted due to children getting upset when their best friend moves away, is bullied, or moves into another group of children and they themselves are not invited. School officials are trying to say they are doing this to save the children the pain of a friendship breaking up. That some children take if very seriously and are deeply emotionally effected.
But isn’t that part of growing up? To learn how to socialize within a group, to learn to accept others even if they are not within their own little group? Granted all children should learn to play together, but we all know that sometimes certain children are attracted to one another for various reasons. Maybe they are only children, maybe they were both abused and they feel only another child that was abused is who they feel safe talking to?
Forming healthy relationships starts from birth on through adulthood. Just because a child doesn’t agree with another ones religion, ethnic background, or some difference doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be best friends. Children need to learn those social skills from an early age. This practice is now being used in schools in Kingston, South West London, and Surrey. What are we teaching our children by this practice?
this is sad, children needs friends. I agree that this is a part of childhood learning. It reminds me of you post about children being treated as adults. Children need friends. To think about it as an adult don't we have friends, and our friends sometimes moves, does it bother us any less. A part a learning and growing. We never stop learning or making new friends from time to time. In this post, children could learn, if a friend moved, to learn to write letters and teachers and parents should learn to inspire children to care for all races of children in each class. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteNothing in life that we experience is set in concrete...we are all spiritual beings having a human experience and whatever friends we make along our journey of life are there for that special season to enrich us and make us grow. Why should a young person be spared of experiencing true loving friendships? On what basis would they be able to compare love and not-love in order to know the difference? Should we just put them into corners and let them twiddle their thumbs? How stultifying would that be to their becoming great contributing citizens of this world I ask you??
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