Baufer weapons/Children's Activities

[Dan Roberts]

> Sorry, please forgive my abrupt answer. I just wanted to send the requested
> excerpt first and had planned to draft a longer response later. I
> wholeheartedly agree that we should develop kids' events like the ones
> you've outlined.

> I'm kinda worried about PVC-core weapons that, after taping, are only two
> inches in diameter. Bet a kid could give another kid a squashed nose w. that
> sort of thing. You might check out some of the Amtgard or IFGS pillow
> weapons standards. And you might be able to modify/paint/cover a football
> helmet w. adequate face grille for lightweight head protection. 

    Oh no, I didn't take it as abruptness... I was proposing more 
that since it is illegal for minors to engage in combat activities, 
by kingdom law, that we try to design activities for the kids to give 
them the sense of inclusion they ought to have.  Maybe having 
"schools" with little drills, like a shield practice.  Advancing 
across a field as a unit, which could teach several valuable lessons.
     Actually one idea I saw this weekend at fighter practice...  One of 
the ladies, Merika, had a bottle of bubbles out at fighter practice, and 
she and her daughter were blowing bubbles and watching them drift on 
the breeze.  The breeze shifted, and started blowing the bubbles over 
near where the fighters were armoring up, and one of the fighters had 
his spear in his hand.  So, he started practicing popping bubbles 
with the tip of his spear...  point control practice in a bottle of 
bubbles.  Kids, collapsible lances again, or even the closed cell 
foam weapons (no PVC), and bubbles would be another idea that I'd bet 
would be able to kids a lot of kids attentions, with very little of a 
safety risk factor, since no one is striking anyone else with 
anything.  It wouldn't be exactly the same thing as fighting like the 
adults are, but it would allow them to develop their skills.  It also 
would NOT require waivers, signatures, or parents in attendance for this 
type of activity.  I do know that it is difficult enough to find 
people help with children's activities, but if a marshallete 
layer was added on top of this, I don't think the kids would get to 
see the first fight, from a lack of volunteers.  And quite possibly 
a lack of parents willing to let their kids participate, which could 
create feelings of jealousy in those not allowed to participate.
     I don't want any one to misunderstand either, that I think 
allowing kids combat is *too* dangerous... Has any one got the 
statistics of the number of kids injured/killed in football or other 
organized sports activities?  We all know that injuries and accidents 
do happen.  Maybe it's possible to implement some 
sort of system for the older (ie. teenaged) kids. *I* don't know.  I 
don't even *have* kids.

> I hope that as we develop/implement this, we'll keep in mind that the reason
> for kidfighting is for FUN and not COMPETITION.

    Agreed.  I believe in the kids equestrian I mentioned above, each kid 
got to try again until they got at least one ring, and they all got a 
small prize or token of some sort.  Each participant was able to feel 
a sense of accomplishment, and even have something to show for it.

> More thoughts later,
> Gnith
> <swhite at onr.com>

     Yes, I can feel the allergy medicine wearing off now, and a 
headache coming on.  Hopefully this will spark some others with 
similar ideas for children's activities.

Fionna