(no subject)

Charlie has a scrape on his knee that he said came from kickball. So I first wax sentimental thinking, 'gosh, my baby is old enough to be playing kickball in school!' then I am transported back to my own grade school years and the utter, utter horror gym class would inevitably heap upon me. I was small, and sort of clumsy, and just not good at sports. I always, always, always got picked last. I really think there are few things more humiliating then standing there while the other kids around you got picked, and then at the end, when you are the only one standing there, the 'captain' who gets stuck with you rolls his eyes and says, "I guess we get you."

I ask Charlie, all casual like, if he gets picked first or last or in the middle. He said he gets picked last. He didn't seem terribly upset about it, but it just about broke my heart. Now I understand why kids might not want him on their team - he doesn't always 'get' team sports, and tends to wander away. But it still broke my heart. I don't want my kid picked last. I don't want him to suffer that horrible, sinking feeling in his heart when kids exercise their natural ability to be utter little bastards.

You all know I'm not one of those entitlement people; I believe that kids can be too coddled, and I do think that you can't shield children from the unfairness of life but this...why does this still go on? Why can't the stupid gym teacher make the teams? The whole point of bloody gym class (besides getting exercise because the Russians were doing it) is to teach team work, and that should include dealing with children on your team who might not be as athletically gifted as you are.

Kids in this country are forced to take gym class; they shouldn't be forced to be humilated twice a week.

(no subject)

Charlie has a scrape on his knee that he said came from kickball. So I first wax sentimental thinking, 'gosh, my baby is old enough to be playing kickball in school!' then I am transported back to my own grade school years and the utter, utter horror gym class would inevitably heap upon me. I was small, and sort of clumsy, and just not good at sports. I always, always, always got picked last. I really think there are few things more humiliating then standing there while the other kids around you got picked, and then at the end, when you are the only one standing there, the 'captain' who gets stuck with you rolls his eyes and says, "I guess we get you."

I ask Charlie, all casual like, if he gets picked first or last or in the middle. He said he gets picked last. He didn't seem terribly upset about it, but it just about broke my heart. Now I understand why kids might not want him on their team - he doesn't always 'get' team sports, and tends to wander away. But it still broke my heart. I don't want my kid picked last. I don't want him to suffer that horrible, sinking feeling in his heart when kids exercise their natural ability to be utter little bastards.

You all know I'm not one of those entitlement people; I believe that kids can be too coddled, and I do think that you can't shield children from the unfairness of life but this...why does this still go on? Why can't the stupid gym teacher make the teams? The whole point of bloody gym class (besides getting exercise because the Russians were doing it) is to teach team work, and that should include dealing with children on your team who might not be as athletically gifted as you are.

Kids in this country are forced to take gym class; they shouldn't be forced to be humilated twice a week.