The zero-risk society is a bit of an aphorism these days, emblematic of the fear of any risk for children – which has left many to wonder, how are they supposed to learn about dealing with risk?
Well, in Britain it looks like they’re starting to figure that out, as Lenore Skenazy at Let Grow reports. Her conclusion?
Geez Louise! Isn’t the whole idea that we WANT kids to get used to the “unregulated” wider world? Is there no “uncontrolled” risk that we’re willing to let kids experience? A tree they could climb that is not pre-approved? A half-rotted plank they could tread?
Sounds to me like the authorities are tied up in knots: They want risk and yet, having spent so long obsessing about things like how deep the mulch must be under the swing set, they still MUST control everything kids encounter. Maybe this is just the intermediate step between overdosing on safety and letting kids play outside again. Let’s hope.
But in the meantime, remember: The outside world is no dicier than when we were growing up. That means there’s no need to make everything perfect, even “risk.” – L.
Meanwhile, I was reading about some genealogy research and they happened to mention a woman who gave birth to ten children, only one of which made it to adulthood – and the mother died of TB at age 36. Now we only have two or three kids, and so they’re a trifle more precious – but most of those vicious diseases, not to mention child labor, are no longer generally a problem, so the risk to children is far lower.
But I can’t see us actually trying to teach risk. I suspect we’ll have to figure out how to accept the occasional loss that happens as children figure out risk – and the world – on their own, bitter as that has to be.
