Topic: Texas Republican Party Education Policy

[kermi3]

>>Do you think it's fucking normal for a fifth grader to commit suicide?
Because that happens regularly; and it's not because "life is hard."

No it doesn't. Child suicide is exceptionally rare

[kermi3]

>>Research actually shows that the heavy kids are at far greater risk for being bullied than any other group

That's why it's so beneficial to teach them how to stop being heavy.

>>People don't get laughed at in math class for getting a problem on a test wrong.

That's not true.  I've seen it plenty, and if they don't - it's because the teacher has created a good constructive environment.  Good teachers do that and so should good PE teachers.  When they do, and they have a good curriculum, PE can be extremely beneficial, and to my mind, every kid should be required to take well taught PE five days a week.  Having more of something makes it more part of the normal routine and less abnormal for everyone.  Along those same lines, they should be required to take well taught algebra....there just aren't enough good teachers.

>>If you're completely fine with your child being subjected to daily harassment and humiliation all because "that's life," then you're a terrible parent.

You had a shitty experience.  Shitty school environment.  And that totally sucks.  PE can be taught in such as way as that doesn't happen.  The way I know is because it happens in other classes.  That's why some of these new cool PE courses using heart rate monitoring are so interesting.  The kids are "graded" not on their speed, but on how much they keep their heartrate up.  That's the focus of the class, and a good teacher sets a culture where that's what's promoted (not how many laps the kid does)...and since, just like in math class, only the kid and the teacher can see the result....it greatly reduces bullying.

>>charlie - And I don't believe that throwing kids into the fire actually makes them stronger in the long run. I expect it depends a lot on the kid and isn't something that's generally true or even usually true.

Couldn't agree more, but neither does just sheltering kids.  The key is to expose them to the fire bit by bit as they learn what they can handle.

[Steve]

Dude in 9th grade gym class i did the long jump and shit myself.

In 10th grade they never let me forget about it.

in 11th i finally changed schools but i got pantsed on a day i wasn't wearing boxers. I beat the kit up and then his friends all kicked my ass.

My senior year i intentionally took advantage of a previous knee injury and re-injured myself in the first day of gym so i could spend all of gym the rest of my year in the library. That knee has never been the same and injuries since then have been made worse all because i was so desperate to get out of gym.

Do you hear me whining? No. Life sucks sometimes get the fuck over it and learn from it. There are two people in this world: Those that can use shitty experience to grow and toughen up and those that whine about it.

[Jake]

>>charlie - And I don't believe that throwing kids into the fire actually makes them stronger in the long run. I expect it depends a lot on the kid and isn't something that's generally true or even usually true.

Couldn't agree more, but neither does just sheltering kids.  The key is to expose them to the fire bit by bit as they learn what they can handle.

and isn't that the case with anything you teach your kids, from sports to math, from communicating to handling tough situations.

At first you have to be your kids' confidence, by positive re-enforcement and encouragement. I swear it took only about two weeks for my kid to leave his baby float to swimming by himself with those blow up butterflies that go around the arms. And now he glows with confidence every time he swims. It is really awesome to watch.

Same goes to riding a bike. Or his ATV.

My daughter is a little younger, but she is so proud that she can put on her socks and shoes all by her self. The little things.

But we know people who don't encourage their kids. At the party we went to yesterday there was a little boy, a month younger than my son, yet my daughter was ahead of him in communication development. So I observed his parents, and the problem was that they could give a shit less about what he did...he was pretty much on his own. They only addressed him when they needed to yell at him. Pretty sad.

There are also parents who want to do shit for their kids because it is cleaner, faster, neater etc etc. One of our friends has a 7 year old kid, it was only about a year ago that he started using a fork and eating by himself. His mom always fed him because he would make a mess that she needed to clean up if he ate alone...and it became a habit. And consequently she was raising a cripple.

But I went off on a tangent...sorry.

[charlie]

I dunno, we all do it, but it's hard to judge how certain parenting styles affect kids' outcomes. Even our own kids. It's way too easy for confirmation bias to throw you off. Still, I tend to agree with the general philosophy you mention, it would seem to give kids the best chance at positive outcomes.

And that's great, Steve, but how does it help someone who is different than you?

[kermi3]

There are also parents who want to do shit for their kids because it is cleaner, faster, neater etc etc. One of our friends has a 7 year old kid, it was only about a year ago that he started using a fork and eating by himself. His mom always fed him because he would make a mess that she needed to clean up if he ate alone...and it became a habit. And consequently she was raising a cripple.

So sad and so true...I actually had a 5th grade once whose parents still cut his meat....was sad...

[KnuckleBuckett]

There are also parents who want to do shit for their kids because it is cleaner, faster, neater etc etc. One of our friends has a 7 year old kid, it was only about a year ago that he started using a fork and eating by himself. His mom always fed him because he would make a mess that she needed to clean up if he ate alone...and it became a habit. And consequently she was raising a cripple.

So sad and so true...I actually had a 5th grade once whose parents still cut his meat....was sad...

I see this kind of thing or worse regularly around here.

[Steve]

There are also parents who want to do shit for their kids because it is cleaner, faster, neater etc etc. One of our friends has a 7 year old kid, it was only about a year ago that he started using a fork and eating by himself. His mom always fed him because he would make a mess that she needed to clean up if he ate alone...and it became a habit. And consequently she was raising a cripple.

So sad and so true...I actually had a 5th grade once whose parents still cut his meat....was sad...

Dude, don't get me fucking started. Hayden is 7 and his grandmother still carries him around and baby talks him. Cuts his food, ties his shoes, dresses him, cleans up after him, bathes him. And of course deadbeat dad left him with her the 7 or 8 months of the court battle so needless to say it has been an uphill battle.

Yesterday he threw a fit because I told him he had to open and squeeze his own ketchup packet.

I dunno, we all do it, but it's hard to judge how certain parenting styles affect kids' outcomes. Even our own kids. It's way too easy for confirmation bias to throw you off. Still, I tend to agree with the general philosophy you mention, it would seem to give kids the best chance at positive outcomes.

And that's great, Steve, but how does it help someone who is different than you?

I guess it doesn't but that is their fault. Being weak minded and giving in to life hurdles is a choice. Those people, aware of it or not, want to feel that way or want others to notice and cater to them. If people want to be strong and persvere they will and if they don't then whatever. You cannot help those who do not help themselves. You just get up and push on, it's what you do.

Thats why i also have no pity for suicidal people that don't actually die. I'm being broad but i mean those who do stupid shit like minor wrist cuts, taking too much tylenol, you know the people who do stuff then call and tell you about it so they can cry oh poor me booh hooh.

People need to STFU and take control of their life.

[kermi3]

>>I guess it doesn't but that is their fault. Being weak minded and giving in to life hurdles is a choice. Those people, aware of it or not, want to feel that way or want others to notice and cater to them.

Today's extreme over simplification of human psychology....

>>Thats why i also have no pity for suicidal people that don't actually die.

You do realize that depression is neurochemical right? The person may not have the physical ability to "take control."

[Govtcheez]

Steve and Jake you realize there is a middle ground between coddling a kid nonstop and tossing them outside to learn to eat rocks, right?

[kermi3]

Sounds like Jake has found it....

[Govtcheez]

I see that, going back and reading the last page (I tend to skip longer posts when I'm on my kindle).

edit: yeah
vvvvvvvvv

[kermi3]

hahaha.  Fair enough.  A Fire?

[Steve]

Not rocks, bugs.

Seriously of course there is a middle ground, I'm just sick of so much of society whining and clinging to any excuse science gives them for being loosers.

[Jake]

Steve and Jake you realize there is a middle ground between coddling a kid nonstop and tossing them outside to learn to eat rocks, right?

I don't see how you got that from my posts?

If I see my kids want to do something I help them through it and encourage them to get better at it so that they can do it independently. You will soon see with your own kid that she will want to do everything herself, no matter ho scary it seams to you and how afraid you might be (for them) - like climb ladders, swing on the monkey bars, "rock climb" over couches, ride bikes, etc etc. "no daddy, i wanna do it alone!" - in a lot of situations kids want to go into the fire themselves. But there are times when you need to recognize that they are not there yet and lay off - like going down water slides with my son. He just wasn't ready yet, I could see it with his reaction when we went up the stairs, so I didn't push and let him take his time with it. Throwing him into the fire would be making him go down no matter what. There is a fine line.