The Nanny State: Tag.......really?

I think i was driving this week when i heard the report that an agency in New York State had declared games such as tag, red rover, and tug-of-war dangerous for children. They further stated they would not be included in camps this summer.

For years now we have had to live with an ever increasing nanny-state consciousness. It has come in various forms and has attacked various foods, habits, and sports.(Remember how dangerous heading a soccer ball became.?) You have had groups such as Center for Science in the Public Interest who apparently want us to eat tofu and drink water, filtered water, from a bottle.

On and on these things go. It seems and feels like we are to live in an ever shrinking circle till you basically have no choice but to stand still in one place.

The past couple have years have had First Lady Michelle Obama enter the health care for kids issue. She can be seen regularly in little short pieces on the Disney Channel. You can be entertained by the kids they have on there while listening to her tell them how they should eat although her and her own family do not do so. The Proof is in the Pudding folks.

Part of her big push, of course, is the childhood obesity issue. It is in light of that push that this incredible decree comes forth that tag and other games are dangerous and should not be played. So what is it to be? Should we fight childhood obesity or not? Am i the only one who sees this as one giant contradiction in terms?

Now i was raised in the sixties and seventies. Tag and the rest of the now dirty list were everyday occurrences on playgrounds and in neighborhoods. Thus I can only wonder to what end they think they will contribute to the heath and well being of youths today but yet stifling further any opportunities they have to get out and exercise. By all means let's get rid of Red Rover so that we may increase TV time. I know the manufacturers of video games everywhere are probably cheering.The truth is this action flies in the face of public policy of health and welfare.

The sad part is i know parents who will hear this and immediately obey. They just simply believe there are those who know better. I can only wonder what their childhoods were like.

For me this only exacerbates my internal rants about how we are raising this generation. Sports without scores. Trophies for everyone with two legs. Competition that is not. How can you tell kids to get out and be kids and then turn around and tell parents you don't want them to be kids?

Please folks, find something better to do with your time if your only task is to try and screw up our youth.

Peace.

Copyright 2011 J.S.Chambers