To the idiotic parents and school admins that want to ban scarves from school grounds just because one little girl managed to nearly hang herself, stop trying to encase our kids in bubbles! The kid only nearly hung herself because she didnt know how to properly wear a scarf. This is either due to her parents not teaching her or her being too lazy.
Parents, teach your kids how to properly wear their winter gear and things like this wouldnt happen. Scarves should be TUCKED into your coat, not flapping about in the wind, they’re bound to get caught in something.
Encasing our kids is never going to solve anything, it’s just going to make them more lost when they finally get kicked out into the real world.
This article appears in Jan 31 – Feb 6, 2008.
While I agree with your sentiment about us wrapping our kids in bubble-wrap, I think you’re missing something here. Kids don’t always listen and parents/teachers can’t be looking over the shoulder of 6 year olds 100% of the time. So, why don’t parents just make sure that their kids don’t wear the traditional scarf? There are things out there that go on over the head and then sit, quite comfortably, around the neck to keep you warm without anything hanging off. Just make sure that if, on the off chance, it does get stuck on something that the seam is loose enough to rip away (“velcro” closure maybe?). Just another option I guess.
BTW – I wouldn’t want to lose my kid just because my 6 year old was “lazy” or I neglected to teach them one thing out of the million that I teach them everyday. Lazy or not, I still want my kid around.
Completely agree, the only thing worst than overprotective parents are the ones who think of their little darlings as ‘miniature adults’.
there are so many things that can harm a child on the playground. especially clothing.. if someone’s clothes get stuck on anything.. they can trip, fall and split their head open. should we just ban all clothing? since this scarf almost killed this poor girl (whom i do feel very bad for) should we ban every single thing that is dangerous to children, that could potentially harm them?maybe we should just ban playgrounds..just my opinion.
I dont know, I kind of like the idea of being encased sometimes! I’m 32 and have never really driven. I have my liscense, but now I live somewhere where they drive on the left and I’m too scared to try it. From a seasoned back-seat driver’s perspective, I’ve seen enough to feel the chances of me getting behind the wheel would be alot higher if I could wear a neck brace and helmet while at the same time managing to not look like a morron while doing it! 😛
and how many times have you, as a wee little one, remembered every little thing your mummy told you NOT to do?you have to admit that if we are to err on judgement, it’s better to err over-cautiously, if it applies to our kids.the poor kid didn’t choose to hang herself. if she did that unknowingly,the same thing could happen to any other kid.a scarf is not the only way to keep your face warm. i find it a big too much as well, having all that overwrap. someone bought me a dickie (i think that’s what they call it, i think) and it’s warm and convenient.it serves double purpose as a headband or a scarf.long scarf can be dangerous too. it’s only rare that you see even grownups walking around with scarf dangling around their feet or dragging along the snow.imagine the horror of the outcome if this just happens to be caught in the wind and picked up by a moving vehicle.fashionable or whatever, we still should look at safety first .if not for us, at least, for the little ones.