Boys and danger.

I have always been an advocate for the recognition of gender differences in children and the restructuring of societal perception, especially in education to accommodate these differences. I am also one of those people who can get excited over a bunch of words, constantly obsessing over a well written article that hits an issue, and hits it well. Which is why I felt this familiar high after I finished reading 'Risk is fun' in The Star today.

Its about a man who has written a book about his childhood, about growing up with his brothers and their 'Black Cat' club. He called the book The Dangerous Book for Boys. And he talked about stuff that made so much sense to me, yet I couldn't really justify it. I'll quote directly.

Its safer to put a boy in front of the Playstation for a while, but not in the long run. The irony of making boys' lives too safe is that they later take worse risks on their own. You only have to push a baby boy hard on a swing once to see his face light up. Its not learned behaviour - he is hardwired to enjoy a little risk. Ask any man for a good memory from childhood and he'll tell you about testing his courage or getting injured. No one wants to see a child getting hurt, but we really did think that the bumps and scratches were badges of honour, once.

He ended the article this way.

We all care about our sons - scabby knees, competitive spirits and all. Its about time we let our schools and governments know how much we care. Let the pendulum swing.

I know exactly what he is talking about. I had my own little adventures as a child, pretending that the Lake Gardens playground was this alien planet and the slides and the monkey bars were all part of my spaceship. Yet, I have been so indoctrinated with the whole 'children must be kept as far away form danger as possible at all times' idea that I probably wouldn't have been able to write anything like I read in that article. I find justifying risk to children horrifying, and I was torn between shock and recognition of truth.

He also talked about his experiences as a teacher, and how every textbook had a girl achieving her dream while all the boys were morons. When he asked why, the reply was 'boys had had it their was for too long, and now its the girls' turn.' Sure, that example might be a tad extreme, and might not be entirely true, but its symptomatic of the kind of environment that young boys have to grow up in.

Refusal to recognize boys for what they are is a problem. Boys will be boys. Turning them into something else is a prospect that depresses me like almost nothing else can.

Note : I was prepared to write a lengthy rant on the article beside it about the confessions of a shopaholic, but decided that talking about boys' childhood is more important than slamming an addict for daring to glorify her problem and admitting that she has a problem but refusing to do anything about it because he husband lets her get away with it. What a selfish, pompous ass.