Rancid wrote:I think it was suggesting that it was bullying and not horse-play. However, I would agree that it really wasn't clear. When my wife saw that dad breaking up the two boys. My wife was like "what? Let them duke it out!" In the playground, she not as quick to break up struggles between the kids as most of the other parents are. The benefit I see is that my daughter doesn't take shit from anyone, no matter how big the kids are. They also don't come crying to us for issues that they can clearly handle themselves.Anyway, I think there's value to allowing kids to experience conflict. That's not to say we don't protect kids from bullying. We just have to keep in mind, that not all struggle/confliuct between kids is bullying.That said, rough-play is actually good for children and should not be broken up so long as no one is getting hurt. It helps kids understand boundaries, gives them a sense for what their bodies are capable of doing. It also teaches that the concept of "there's a time and place for play, and a time and place to handle responsibilities"
I agree with all of this; I guess bullying isn't a big issue among homeschooled kids; but I am very old school as a parent; I expect impeccable public behavior, but generally let the kids run and rough each other up as much as possible when at home; they are very free at home to play, fight, etc so long as they obey instructions without hesitation, don't mouth-back, don't break the ten commandments, all of which could get them a good spanking.
Thus, my kids are pretty free-roaming and i am generally pretty laid back; i have found the consequence is that my kids are strangley tough and rough with other kids. two of my nephews are the same age as my oldest son, but they are either only-children or only 1 of 2 with big gaps and both of these nephews of mine attend public school.
They are super soft, my nephew cried because he got shot in the forehead with a nerf dart and my daugher called him a poop eater. What a little pussy.
My kids literally had no idea how to handle someone crying over that as they are in an environment where there are five kids total in a confined space beating the tar out of each other on a regular basis.
I'm so proud. However, I am a bit concerned about these public school kids, I know the school I went to growing up you had to learn how to defend yourself quick on the playground and I learned all the sex positions and every cuss word by age 9 on this same playground...
Something has definitely changed. I think i'm gonna put my kids in martial arts, they'll probably clean house cause I know they are already experts at taking hits and they are great at getting in peoples heads.