[Ansteorra] Children at Events

morgancain at earthlink.net morgancain at earthlink.net
Mon Jul 29 14:51:42 PDT 2002


>>> My question is this...Why do we insist on shoving the
>>> children off into some obscure corner at an event and
>>> not plan at least one activity that they participate in??

I guess we have been attending different events.  Yes, at some events it is
hard to plan things for children to do, due to space and time
considerations.  I have been to many events, however, where the children
have been involved in the main activities to the extent that safety allows.

Perhaps people have not thought of having activities for children in the
main area because they are too used to having classes and activities for
children in a separate area.  Often this is because it is safer for the
children, easier for the teachers, and unfortunately too many children come
to SCA events and are let run wild with no training nor instruction from
their parents.  Other times it is because there is a separate list for
children mirroring those available for their elders, and still other times
the children are participating with the adults in things like equestrian
and archery activities.

Too often, of course, if you want a room for ANY activity, it is well away
from the list and other activities that seem to draw attention.  This is
especially true for events like Warlord, which is usually hot, and the
choices are a hot tent in the sun, or up in the hall away from the
listfield.

If you feel that the children are "shov[ed]....into some obscure corner,"
then perhaps you can work with the Minister of Children and the Autocrat
and other persons to come up with alternatives?  At some events, the
children's activities are intermingled, but when you are limited by the
site there is not much that can be done.  And as with any other activity,
organizing it in concert with the other events takes planning ahead.  You
cannot simply arrive at the site (and I think you planned ahead for the
pirates, since there were discussions of some obscure points on the
Baronial list) and expect that the plan will be implemented, especially if
it requires a break in the other activities.

And yes, I have started child-specific activities at some events that are
out in the main areas and not "shoved away" as you say it.  But I have also
started some that ARE "shoved away" which does give us the advantage that
the children are more focused on what they are doing or learning.  It's a
balance.

                             ---= Morgan


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Human history becomes more and more a race between
education and catastrophe." ---= H.G. Wells

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