Whatever the weather - WritingForums.com - Writing Forums, Writing Challenges, Critiques and Help for Writers

Olly Buckle · 03-24-2008, 12:56 PM

My partner , who works in a playgroup has brought home a document called “Whatever the weather” on the front are the legends “Early years, Child care & extended schools service” “East Sussex County Council, eastsussex.gov.uk” and “Sure Start” so it is government sponsored, paid for by taxes. So what does it say?
Page one, paragraph one:-

Why go outside?
Children need to be outside. They need the freedom that the outdoor environment brings. They need fresh air and direct contact with the weather. We mostly live in centrally heated homes and our nurseries and schools are also heated. Children who do not go outside do not have the experience of changes in the weather and the seasons. It is often seen as an inconvenience. If we restrict outdoor play to fine weather we can all miss out on so much. We may remember splashing in puddles or catching snowflakes.

Well, yes there is an argument that says they do need to go outside, not for any of these reasons but because we need a certain amount of sunlight to make vitamin D. On days like today, however, there is no sun. The weather is alternating between snow and sleet, any child going outside will require layers of clothing, two pairs of socks, boots and mittens, these will all severely restrict freedom of movement and inhibit direct contact with the weather, thank goodness, small bodies do not have the same ratio of mass to surface area , so even this will probably also fail to keep them warm. “We” may remember the excruciating pain of warming cold fingers and toes, I certainly do. Our indoor places are heated, why would that be do you think? Who are these children who never get outside to experience the changes of weather and season any way? “It’s freezing, hurry up and get inside” “It’s raining cats and dogs, run for the car” Anne Frank maybe, but going out did her no good.
“If we restrict outdoor play to fine weather we can all miss out on so much” and very grateful we should all be, that’s why indoors is kept warm and dry. I remember splashing in puddles, when I went out after the rain had stopped, I also remember the severe reprimand for getting my shoes and socks soaked and splashing muddy water over other people, catching snowflakes I do not remember. This, I think it is a myth propagated by some romantically minded government hack in a centrally heated office, I remember walking along, head down collar up, hat pulled as far over the face as possible with the horrid stuff making it impossible to see through my glasses. I went outside voluntarily only when it stopped coming down and the sun came out. Besides it is ungrammatical, what does that sentence about "being an inconvenience" relate to? The previous sentence? I think not.

There are 18 pages of this rubbish “The outside offers different multi sensory experiences…” “There are real and new whole body experiences…” “The development of gross motor skills must come before we can expect children to develop their fine motor skills…” “The outdoor environment has unique characteristics and features…”
It ranges from the totally banal to the completely false. Parts of it read like the ideas that put disabled children to sit out in dutch barns in the 1950’s. Tax payers are keeping the person who writes it in centrally heated luxury and trees are cut down to make the paper it is printed on. I find it all most offensive, the money could be far better spent killing Iraqis and ripping off their oil for my central heating system any day of the week.

The Backward OX · 05-12-2008, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle

My partner , who works in a playgroup has brought home a document called “Whatever the weather” on the front are the legends “Early years, Child care & extended schools service” “East Sussex County Council, eastsussex.gov.uk” and “Sure Start” so it is government sponsored, paid for by taxes. So what does it say?
Page one, paragraph one:-

Why go outside?
Children need to be outside. They need the freedom that the outdoor environment brings. They need fresh air and direct contact with the weather. We mostly live in centrally heated homes and our nurseries and schools are also heated. Children who do not go outside do not have the experience of changes in the weather and the seasons. It is often seen as an inconvenience. If we restrict outdoor play to fine weather we can all miss out on so much. We may remember splashing in puddles or catching snowflakes.

Well, yes there is an argument that says they do need to go outside, not for any of these reasons but because we need a certain amount of sunlight to make vitamin D. On days like today, however, there is no sun. The weather is alternating between snow and sleet, any child going outside will require layers of clothing, two pairs of socks, boots and mittens, these will all severely restrict freedom of movement and inhibit direct contact with the weather, thank goodness, small bodies do not have the same ratio of mass to surface area , so even this will probably also fail to keep them warm. “We” may remember the excruciating pain of warming cold fingers and toes, I certainly do. Our indoor places are heated, why would that be do you think? Who are these children who never get outside to experience the changes of weather and season any way? “It’s freezing, hurry up and get inside” “It’s raining cats and dogs, run for the car” Anne Frank maybe, but going out did her no good.
“If we restrict outdoor play to fine weather we can all miss out on so much” and very grateful we should all be, that’s why indoors is kept warm and dry. I remember splashing in puddles, when I went out after the rain had stopped, I also remember the severe reprimand for getting my shoes and socks soaked and splashing muddy water over other people, catching snowflakes I do not remember. This, I think it is a myth propagated by some romantically minded government hack in a centrally heated office, I remember walking along, head down collar up, hat pulled as far over the face as possible with the horrid stuff making it impossible to see through my glasses. I went outside voluntarily only when it stopped coming down and the sun came out. Besides it is ungrammatical, what does that sentence about "being an inconvenience" relate to? The previous sentence? I think not.

There are 18 pages of this rubbish “The outside offers different multi sensory experiences…” “There are real and new whole body experiences…” “The development of gross motor skills must come before we can expect children to develop their fine motor skills…” “The outdoor environment has unique characteristics and features…”
It ranges from the totally banal to the completely false. Parts of it read like the ideas that put disabled children to sit out in dutch barns in the 1950’s. Tax payers are keeping the person who writes it in centrally heated luxury and trees are cut down to make the paper it is printed on. I find it all most offensive, the money could be far better spent killing Iraqis and ripping off their oil for my central heating system any day of the week.

Olly, three things:

What is ungrammatic about “It is often seen as an inconvenience”?

The writer was clearly inferring it is seen an inconvenience by parents to have to rug up the little darlings prior to going out, and to perhaps act in a supervisory role to avoid another Jamie Bulger episode.

As you object so strenuously to this waste of taxpayers money—and don’t get me wrong, I’m with you all the way on things like this—is there not some independent parliamentarian you could lobby about the matter? Independents love this type of thing. They get up in the House and ask embarrassing questions. I’ve had one or two small successes using my local Independent in this way. And she’s pretty, too. Phwoah!

The Backward OX · 05-12-2008, 02:43 AM

Olly, three things:

What is ungrammatic about “It is often seen as an inconvenience”?

The writer was clearly inferring it is seen an inconvenience by parents to have to rug up the little darlings prior to going out, and to perhaps act in a supervisory role to avoid another Jamie Bulger episode.

As you object so strenuously to this waste of taxpayers money—and don’t get me wrong, I’m with you all the way on things like this—is there not some independent parliamentarian you could lobby about the matter? Independents love this type of thing. They get up in the House and ask embarrassing questions. I’ve had one or two small successes using my local Independent in this way. And she’s pretty, too. Phwoah!

The Backward OX · 05-12-2008, 02:44 AM

Now how did I manage that?

Olly Buckle · 05-12-2008, 04:02 AM

You don't know and you expect me to tell you?