Day 7 - Westminister

Hey loves!

Today the kids and I played with colored spaghetti noodles. I chased them with the noodles saying "EEWWWWW" a thousand times, but they loved it every time! Hahaha. I didn't think I would like nursery but I am beginning to like to play for hours.

Something different that the students do here is take risks on the playground. By that I mean, in the U.S., students are not encouraged to play with risky objects and potentially harmful games. For those that haven't been in schools since before 2000, did you know TAG is banned in a lot of schools because kids can get hurt running? This is what schools have had to do to protect themselves.

As a result, U.S. kids are very sheltered and protected, both in the classroom and on the playground.
The schools cannot grant the freedoms of childhood to their students for fear of losing themselves.


However, here in England, they have a much different approach to play that has been difficult for me to accept and overcome as "okay."


Here's a quote from localgov.co.uk explaining the view England has on children play.

"Local Government Association research has found playgrounds are becoming more adventurous, introducing zip wires, giant climbing structures, tree houses and tunnels, funded by £235m announced as part of the Children’s Plan. 

Councils also plan to build or refurbish 3,500 playgrounds by 2011, and are including more adventure equipment.Council-run holiday playschemes are increasingly popular, offering circus skills, BMX biking and surfing.

Cllr Margaret Eaton, chairman of the LGA, said: ‘Children playing outside - getting grass stains on their clothes, twigs in their hair and grazing their knees – is a fundamental part of growing up. ‘Children need the opportunity to have adventures and let their imaginations run free, and it’s fantastic that councils are helping provide so many places where that can happen. 

Crucially, going to a playground or a park is free.’She added: ‘We do our youngsters no favours by wrapping them up in cotton-wool.’Peter Cornall, head of leisure safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: ‘Parents have to accept that their children may get injured and that bumps and grazes are not serious and are all part of growing up.’"

The point made? England is tired of complaining parents and telling them, hey, they're kids. They are going to get hurt, there are going to be accidents, and they need to learn that in life. We can't "wrap them up in cotton-wool."

So the playgrounds at my school have bikes (!), huge wooden bricks that could seriously hurt some one, lots of ropes, musical instruments, water fountain, tall tree house, wagons, etc. Those would NEVER be acceptable on most U.S. playgrounds! And if they were, there would have to be a lot of rules and supervision.

What do you think? Do you think we have gone overboard protecting our kids to protect ourselves? Are we depleting them of a full childhood? Are the children in England benefitting from these risks? Comment below to tell me your thoughts on this subject!

After school, a quartet of us went to Westminster Abbey!!

SO PRETTY. At one point, I walked down the aisle pretending to be Kate. I must have looked crazy. Fact: I looked insane. She's sooo lucky!

Queen Elizabeth I was buried there, which I didn't know. I have always loved Q.E.I. (yeah, we have pet names for each other) and find her fascinating. I even have a t-shirt of her and did a pretty amazing high school research paper on her. (I kept that puppy - a whole semester's worth of work in one folder.)

Here's a picture I took because we went at night:

Here's photos I ripped off the internet because there are no cameras allowed in Westminster.

This is a ceiling! One of the wonders of the world at the time it was built. Still a magnificent sight to see. This is only part of it...it stretches the whole length of the church.

Went to Bella Italia for dinner. Yumm! 

Goodnight!!!