Trouble with balls...

Ok now. I mean the kind that kids use for kick ball, dodge ball, etc. Anyway...

The kids have had to stay on the paved playing areas due to the fact that the grassy hills still have dirty snow and ice on them. (It's also very wet and muddy.) Due to this fact, many of the students have been bringing balls to recess to play kickball, soccer and four-square.

These are all very fun, when played in a fair team spirit.

I recently observed a group of third graders playing a game of kickball. The first couple of minutes went fine. Until someone didn't touch a base as they ran around the field after kicking the ball. All hell broke loose. There was much screaming, finger-pointing, and jumping up and down. (To be truthful, most of the kids didn't touch all the bases as they passed them! Only those who were really paying attention caught any offenses, and then everyone got into the accusatory bellowing.) The defendant would plead his case that he did, in fact, touch the base (or at least got close enough). A debate would ensue for about 15 seconds, then the poor offender would concede and step to the back of the line. The game would continue and everyone would act like nothing happened. All is well again. The next thing that happens is someone kicks the ball a bit to high and far. The ball smacks two girls in the face (not sure how this really happened) and they are both crying and holding their cheeks. I send them to the bathroom to put a cool cloth on their faces. I then instruct the kickball hoodlums that they need to kick the ball softer and lower. Yeah, like that's gonna happen... An innocent third-grade boy steps up to the plate. The ball rolls quickly towards him, and "wham!" the ball goes flying up, up, up right towards a group of unsuspecting kids. Okay, they are done with kickball. The usual exclamations of "that's not fair," "you're so mean," "why? what did we do?" ensue. One little guy was exceptionally ticked off and loudly (and rudely) told me how unhappy he was. Well, that kind of talk is not allowed in Westland's environment, so off to the principal's office he went. (We spoke after recess and he promised not to do that again.) I encouraged the kids to play four-square. Much better. No kicking of the ball and they are contained by the four boxes on the ground. But, you know kids, arguments still came up. The ball hit one boy's foot (which is considered and "out") and all the kids started the usual yelling of "you're out!" He really tried to talk them out of this one. He tried reasoning, which does no good, then he just threw a fit and ran off. The game went on again like nothing happened. Some of the other kids experienced similar events, but those who are more hard-headed and not easily offended took the complaining just fine.

As much as I try to help these kids learn about compassion and fair play, I'm afraid the world teaches other values. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for assertiveness and a winning attitude, but, I believe there are other, more import traits that need to be taught more often, especially in the home! Would it kill some people to humble out and be kind to a stranger once in a while?!

Alright, I'm done with my soap box. But I am truly concerned with some of these kids and their future. If they aren't playing nice now, in elementary school, what are they going to be like as adults? This is such a crucial time in their lives (and our lives, as parents), we can't take it for granted.