It's not ever all about academics

Nobody ever asks me how will they have strong bodiesd if all they do is sit at home? No one ever asks, how will they know their physical strengths and how will they improve coordination without gym?










Nobody asks about gym, not really. Once at the playground I was asked if my kids were in gym and once a lifeguard at a pool told me she could give them "gym credits"



Otherwise most people are interested in how they will mkae friends, how will they ever learn math and how will I survive being around them all day.

I love watching my kids' cooridation imporve espevcailly Johanna who struggles so much with controlling her body and effectively concentrating enough to mkae it be still and keep her feet going on the right direction. However just like those life skills of cooking and sewing that I find so important but lacking in my own 12 year education I find learning to trust your body and increase it's strength an extremely important life skill. Kids in school lose gym as punishment for being restless and too chatty thereby relegating gym to nothing more than a privledge for the select "good" kids who can be still. Who needs to expend the energy more. I'm preaching to the choir, I know. It just saddnes me what we put emphasis on in this school culture. It's funny that our sports stars are paid the most but gym is ranked as least important. Maybe that's b/c gym isn't challenging enough in school but I don't really know. I only know of one freind who laments that the kids do actual calistenics instead of playing, otherwise I am in the dark about gym class. Mostly I think I don't know what goes on b/c parents rarely complain about, "My kid isn't learning enough in gym. The gym teacher gives too much (not enough) homework. My kid is falling behind in gym" I never hear about gym.

I think along with strong minds you must have a strong body, I'm not talking about 6 packs or muscle arms for kids, I am talking about a strong body the kids trust. A body that moves is being used to it's utmost purpose. Sitting at a desk for many hours is so un-natural for all bodies but most especailly itchy twitchy kids whose bodies are set on the "go" postion.

And for people who wonder how I survive all day with my kids , I survive by letting them play and play hard.

 

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