Policies to let children play

Children do not exercise enough and spend a lot of time indoors and online. Parents may agree that a village is needed, but very often it does not seem to be very village, just people who are isolated in individual houses.

There is no quick way to change this reality, but politics can and should seek to eliminate policies that discourage the community and outdoor activities. Here are some of the ideas of common sense that should be bilateral winners.

1. The responsibility reforms to facilitate communities and businesses to have playgrounds

Everyone wants the playgrounds to be safe for children to use. The facilities should ensure that the slides are properly insured in the ground and the equipment does not rust. But playgrounds are intended for play, and falls are an inevitable part of children’s life. Injuries are unfortunate, but they should not be legally active except in cases of true neglect.

Unfortunately, in the United States, common sense often takes a back seat and our dispute system is abused to turn physical injuries into economically unexpectedly. Liability insurance is not only prudent, but mandatory in many states, it even costs small homeowners’ associations until $ 1,000 per year in premiums.

Guidance by US Consumer and Security Committee It is mostly logical, such as including protective messages on high platforms and keeping the equipment free from “protruding bolts”. But some other requirements are challenges. For example, playground operators have instructions to “make sure that the surfaces around the playground equipment have at least 12 inches of wooden chips, rotten sand or pea gravel or are rubber -like mats or rubber.” They must also “check the playgrounds regularly to see that the equipment and the surface are in good shape” and “carefully supervise children in playgrounds to make sure they are safe”.

So what happens if a child digs a hole in the 12 -inch wooden chip pile under the playground in the outdoor area of ​​my restaurant and, an hour later, another child overturns or even breaks an ankle? I didn’t manage to ensure that the playground was in “good condition”? It is impossible to know how our legal system will see such a situation, so it is not strange that many decide not to take the risk and simply not build the playground.

German legal system includes the term “Allgemeines lebensrisiko“Or” normal risk of life “for rejection of conductors.

This explains why European families can go to Biergartens and other restaurants and be sure that there will be a playground for children. While American families looking for play areas mainly choose between McDonald’s or Chick-Fil-A, European parents can enjoy nice, seated meals, even beer and wine, while their children play without them.

America must also embrace this perspective. Of course, we want to prevent broken throats and rusty metal, but we have to accept the dangers related to childhood and playground play and be grateful – and not in contrast to those who give children the opportunity to play.

2. By re -making playgrounds

The fear of differences not only explains the lack of common play areas in the United States, but also contributes to why so much modern American playground equipment is also deep un-fun. Rounded plastic equipment prevents potential scraps and is probably intended to prevent Daredevil’s children from climbing over the tunnels or jungle gym towers. It is certainly safer, but children of the age of the primary playgrounds seem to peel quickly that this is almost the same fare offered in the part of the baby and the young child and loses interest.

European playgrounds are completely different. The playground that my children used in Vienna, Austria, had a zipper running through the center – and young children and parents were expected to look at both ways or risk hitting down. There are often giant wood structures and wood platforms, connected by monkey bars and rope bridges, which will be considered outside the boundaries below the US standard. My six -year -old daughter broke a hand falling from a set of monkey bars in Brussels, Belgium. It was a sad occasion, starting a summer season that meant that she had to sit on the side of the pool, instead of jumping, but my daughter – like her parents – acknowledged that these things were happening, especially when you choose to fight and move the highest available. But this injury was balanced by years of creative play that my children kept up, pretending and running with friends independently. America – the land of the brave – must restore our expectations of child safety, including playgrounds.

3. Reduce bureaucracy obstacles to children to play sports

America has unparalleled sports clubs and sports offers, which are a huge advantage for children to remain in shape and learn all the vital lessons that come with sports and are part of a team. According to Work gameBy 2023, about 55.4% of children between 6 and 17 years have played sports. This is not bad, but it means that more than 4 of 10 children do not play sport and miss.

Policy -executives should consider how to make it easier for children to register for sports programs, including those offered by schools. The registration of my healthy, sports 16 -year -old son to participate in the Sports Program of the Public Gymnasium required an additional set of doctor forms that cost me a $ 35 fee to complete. Was it really necessary? Probably the reason for this is so that schools and sports programs can be protected from differences if something happens to my son when playing sports. However, his enrollment at school already required current health files. I couldn’t give up these rights then?

Policy leaders should create consent for athletic participation in the school, so that the default case is that students are eligible to play sports. For me, the small pay and another set of documents to complete and upload online was a hassle, but for some families, it could be prohibitive. Especially for students from lower -income families or I miss parents, we want coaches and teachers to be able to encourage children to participate in groups and other extracurricular activities without waiting for parents to sign exemptions. We need to try to make it possible for all children, regardless of their family conditions, to play.

America’s legal system is supposed to be justice. Unfortunately, very often today, the legal system mainly imposes a costly increase in all aspects of life and prevents normal community activities that are good, not only for physical health but also for mental and emotional health. Let’s change that. We rationalize our legal system to make childhood and parental care again.