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Posted: Jul 18 2008 10:07 pm

This may cause you all to hate me, but I was indirectly responsible for the merry-go-round being removed from my local playground. All the big kids were sitting on the edge, facing inward, and holding on to the bars while another big kid spun it as fast as he could. I tried this too, but my 3 year old arms were no match for centrifugal force. I split my head open good.

But it wasn't my parents that kicked up a stink, it was a neighbor who was on city council. Still though, I suck.

Posted: Jul 18 2008 10:27 pm

Find a Merry Go Round and try again now that you're an adult!

Joined: Aug 24 2005 Location: Mount Holly, NJ Posts: 1062

Valdronius wrote:

But it wasn't my parents that kicked up a stink, it was a neighbor who was on city council. Still though, I suck.

Nah, you're innocent. Your neighbors are assholes, but you deserve commendation for doing what little kids SHOULD do as part of their development- got your ass kicked by a healthy combination of fun, gravity, and curiosity.

Joined: Aug 24 2005 Location: Mount Holly, NJ Posts: 1062

aika wrote:

If anything fear of getting laughed at for being a fucking failure will keep everyone from being slackers.

Potential truth. Unfortunately, at this point, it's tough, because kids have been taught that there is no such thing as failure, and the ridicule of others is nothing but the fact that "they're jealous." Still, I agree that being mocked by one's peers is important for development and understanding that we're not perfect little snowflakes. It also teaches us our own personal understanding about social boundaries, and what to do when someone crosses one (read: if some other kid goes too far, you stand up for yourself).

What we need is the removal of the nanny state. We need to let kids go off on their own a bit. Let them explore. Let them climb. Most importantly, let them LOSE. Teach them that losing is not the end of the world, but it should teach you how to win next time.

Joined: Jun 20 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 802

At my elementary school, we had tons of crazy shit on our playground. We had "the Big H" which was basically two vertical 15 foot metal poles with a crossbar in the middle. Kids would stand on either side and kick balls (soccer balls, kick balls, huge rubber ones), as far as they could back and forth. It was amazingly fun and would result in multiple injuries each day from kids purposely blasting others in the face and nuts with the balls.

We also had "The Big M" and N which was a huge structure made out of curved metal poles with wooden logs all the way across which you could climb. Falling off would result in massive injuries as well, my best friend being a perfect example. A girl we knew pushed him off and he hit the ground head first, but broke the landing with his skinny left arm... which then broke in half.

We had a huge merry-go-round that would constantly have bees nesting inside, and a set of monkey bars that everyone busted themselves up on as well. They were slippery as shit.

I returned there a couple years ago to find that the only classic thing remaining was the Big H. They took out pretty much everything else and replaced it with a giant plastic play thing. Lame.

Kids are seriously getting shafted these days. I wouldn't have even looked forward to recess if I was left with what they have to play on, how shitty.

Posted: Jul 18 2008 11:29 pm

wow, this thread really took off.

but i have to agree, everyone is way way too easy on kids nowadays. granted, i believe we should encourage their self esteem, but losing is always a huge part of learning how to grow up. which is why i dont mind beating my nephews at xbla when i get the chance. but they never wanna do anything physical except ride their bikes. they dont wear helmets though, so i'll give them points for that.

2011 SNES Champ Joined: Dec 04 2006 Posts: 1929

Don't know about the US, but here, it's been a few years you can't fail in elementary school. So you can be a 7th grader who can't read (not sure), or can't do a simple multiplication (shit like 2x4= Cool

without using a calculator.

Joined: Oct 12 2007 Posts: 821

I am not a fan of plastic, overly safe playgrounds, but I see the point of making the playgrounds at least a little safer. It just doesn't make sense to have really rusty equipment or overly dangerous equipment. No one wants to take their kid to the hospital, which is why I am more forgiving about some of this stuff then most of the people here. That being said, you can't blame the playground if your kid thinks he can do something and he can't, it isn't the playground's fault if a kid jumps off the top of a slide and lands poorly, or he slips off a mary-go-round. The trick is to find the balance of safey and fun.

The thing that always bugged me was the removal of sand. Wood chip are not safer. In fact, I have had more injuries on wood chips then I have from sand.

Joined: Jun 20 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 802

nihilisticglee wrote:

The thing that always bugged me was the removal of sand. Wood chip are not safer. In fact, I have had more injuries on wood chips then I have from sand.

I agree. The regular wood chips splinter, and those rubbery ones burn your skin if you fall and slide on them.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 12:18 am

I went back to the playground I used to play on and it still has sand, but everything is plastic coated metal.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 09:50 am

A lot of the playgrounds in my area have that rubbery mulch crap all over the place, which is just weird. It's like walking on hard carpet, but outdoors. I've gotten more scrapes and skin burns from tripping on that stuff than I have on good, old-fashioned dirt, so the jerks who want to insist that it's safer can just suck it.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 10:52 am

Walrus wrote:

A lot of the playgrounds in my area have that rubbery mulch crap all over the place, which is just weird. It's like walking on hard carpet, but outdoors. I've gotten more scrapes and skin burns from tripping on that stuff than I have on good, old-fashioned dirt, so the jerks who want to insist that it's safer can just suck it.

Yeah I've seen that shit too, I prefer the rocks that my playground had, you can't have fun throwing rubber shavings at somebody! Rolling Eyes

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Valdronius wrote:

This may cause you all to hate me, but I was indirectly responsible for the merry-go-round being removed from my local playground. All the big kids were sitting on the edge, facing inward, and holding on to the bars while another big kid spun it as fast as he could. I tried this too, but my 3 year old arms were no match for centrifugal force. I split my head open good.

But it wasn't my parents that kicked up a stink, it was a neighbor who was on city council. Still though, I suck.

I am not saying you have bad parents, but it was their fault.

A 3 year old probably shouldn't have been doing that.

So you don't suck.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 11:47 am

I can say though that being mocked by ones peers can only go so far. I think that the pendulum has swung to far against bullying, but then again if not, you have shootings. I can say that I was picked on bad and it was not good for me. It took later years, even a bit after high school in some capacities to be ok with some of it. Now I think there is a balance, and a no failure zone on anything is terrible, and will ulitmately hurt the child worse once out of high school, then failing a class or losing at dodgeball in gym class. I think you can make sure child's sports are fun and not overly competitive with parents screaming at their kids, without taking away scores, and losing. I remember when I was a kid one parent took it too far, always one of em on either side. This kid on my little league team was the pitcher. He pitches a few bad ones, and his dad was cursing him out from the stands, and then when we were up went to hit em cause he didn't throw a great inning. Needless to say the cops were called, but that shit is too much as well.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 01:12 pm

Me and my friends used to play dodge ball with basketballs in gym class. Smile

Then we got sent to detention for hitting some crybaby in the face. Rolling Eyes

Joined: Jun 20 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 802

Blackout wrote:

Walrus wrote:

A lot of the playgrounds in my area have that rubbery mulch crap all over the place, which is just weird. It's like walking on hard carpet, but outdoors. I've gotten more scrapes and skin burns from tripping on that stuff than I have on good, old-fashioned dirt, so the jerks who want to insist that it's safer can just suck it.

Yeah I've seen that shit too, I prefer the rocks that my playground had, you can't have fun throwing rubber shavings at somebody! Rolling Eyes

Does everyone just skip reading my posts, or did you guys just not notice me first mention this stuff? Mad

Posted: Jul 19 2008 03:08 pm

I noticed man. Inoticed.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 03:12 pm

ross_rifle113 wrote:

I noticed man. Inoticed.

Dude who are you talking to? Confused

Posted: Jul 19 2008 03:39 pm

drewbocop...the post right before mine.

Posted: Jul 19 2008 10:47 pm

GPFontaine wrote:

I am not saying you have bad parents, but it was their fault.

A 3 year old probably shouldn't have been doing that.

So you don't suck.

My parents weren't there to stop me.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Valdronius wrote:

GPFontaine wrote:

I am not saying you have bad parents, but it was their fault.

A 3 year old probably shouldn't have been doing that.

So you don't suck.

My parents weren't there to stop me.

Was anyone?

Posted: Jul 19 2008 11:04 pm

GPFontaine wrote:

Was anyone?

Hell no. Playgrounds aren't supposed to be supervised.

Joined: Jun 20 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 802

Blackout wrote:

ross_rifle113 wrote:

I noticed man. Inoticed.

Dude who are you talking to? Confused

HI-LARIOUS.

Posted: Jul 20 2008 04:22 am

apparently I'm an idiot because I didn't get Blackout's little joke there...now that I get it, ell oh ell.

Posted: Jul 20 2008 10:51 am

nah, it wasn't a very good joke. Sadly no