The War on Childhood

"Childhood is what you spend the rest of your life trying to overcome."

                                                              -Hope Floats

If you had to choose three words to describe your childhood, what would they be? Here are mine: forts, spud, and play. In 2015, childhood is no longer the nascent stage of development fostering imagination, best friends, and adventure. It is a lost art somewhere between instant gratification, competition, milestones, play dates, and the information highway.  How do we fight to reclaim childhood? Whose responsibility is it? Childhood only happens once.

Childhood is about priorities. It is putting imagination before oral reading fluency. It is putting play before tutoring. It is putting organic friendships before those mediated by social status or popularity.  Childhood is about disappointment. It is saying mean things, and learning to apologize.  It is losing, and congratulating your friend for winning. It is being told you're not good enough, even though you tried your best. Childhood is about experiences. It is visiting museums. It is exploring nature. It is exposure to the arts. Childhood is about having fun. It is playing until you fall asleep. It is inside jokes. It is fits of laughter. Childhood only happens once. 

As educators, we make decisions that impact childhood everyday. We take away play. We adopt the common core standards. We agree to high stakes testing. We stop celebrating student birthdays. We make learning feel like work. As parents, you make decisions that impact childhood everyday. You choose competition over cooperation. You choose defending over natural consequences. You choose achievement over learning. Childhood only happens once.

There is a war on childhood, and it is every parent's and educator's responsibility to step up. Game on! What three words will the class of 2028 use to define childhood? That will be our cross to bear. Childhood only happens once.