Children pay for parents' stupidity

My heart definitely goes out to the family and friends of Madeleine McCann, the four-year-old British girl supposedly abducted from a Portugal resort. Hoping with all my hope that she is alive, I can't imagine what she may be going through.

It definitely breaks my heart.

And what outrages me nearly as much is how that little girl is paying the price for the STUPIDITY of her parents, Gerry and Kate McCann.

Madeleine McCann disappeared May 3 when her parents left her and her 2-year-old twin siblings alone in their hotel room while they went to a restaurant in their hotel complex in Praia da Luz, a resort town in Portugal's Algarve region.

(Above, taken from a story about the McCann's meeting with Pope Benedict XVI.)

I know the story is not new, but I've yet to see any many (any?) comments about the careless way the McCanns treated their children. From an earlier story, I read that, while at the restaurant, the McCanns checked on their children "every half hour or so."

Only by God's grace did the other two children remain safe.

Yes, no parent is perfect -- including me -- but YOU DO NOT LEAVE YOUR YOUNG CHILDREN ALONE WHEN YOU ARE NOT HOME OR IN SOME UNFAMILIAR PLACE.

Isn't that just common sense?

Not for the McCanns.

And, unfortunately, their daughter Madeleine is paying the price of their stupidity.

-- Michael
(the father of three children eight and under, with my wife expecting #4 in July)

P.S. For a thought-provoking and well-worth-the-read commentary, please see Dani Garavelli's story in the Scotsman.

Recess under attack?

Today's Toledo (OH) Blade has a great article about how a growing number of schools -- but still a minority -- are eliminating recess from our children's school day: Local schools serious about keeping recess. (Though, looks like a lot of information in the story is from May 2006 -- still worth knowing if you didn't hear about it then.)

According to the article, Mark Schneider, the commissioner of the National Center of Education Statistics, presented his group's recess findings that: The proportion of U.S. schools that don't have recess ranges from 7 percent for first and second grades to 13 percent by sixth grade.

Oakdale Elmentary in East Toledo is the only NW Ohio school mentioned that does not have recess, despite the fact that it's a new building with new playground equipment!

Principal Tracy Knight said there isn't time for playing outside.

"With what we have to do in terms of achievement testing, and since the school day hasn't been extended, you can't eat valuable instructional time," Mr. Knight said.

I know our schools and teachers are under a lot of pressure, but that does not justify not allowing students the chance to blow off energy and play with their friends.

Fortunately, Cartoon Network, with assistance from groups like the PTA, launched a Rescuing Recess campaign. The week of Sept. 18, 2006, was National Recess Week.

Banning recess is just a bad idea. I know first that, when we have a busy day or weekend and there's no time for the kids to let off steam and just play, they get mischievous or don't behave.

Well, at least for those schools who ban recess, they don't have to worry about banning tag (another silly idea).

Why can't today's kids just be kids?! Adults are taking a lot of fun out of growing up.

-- Michael