Respectful Generations: Part 1

On a cool breezy October day, a couple of six-year-old kids went out to play on the school playground with the rest of their first grade class. The little girl with her blond braids bouncing off her shoulders, walked obediently in the straight line like a toy soldier. The autumn breezes were reason to wear her navy blue sweater to school that day. Happily, she watched the student in front of her while the boy behind her laughed and flipped her braids the whole way out to the playground. The old school building's playground was across the street. The teacher watched carefully as each child moved to the other side of the road. The quiet street of the small town was unlikely to have many passing cars at 10:00 in the morning. Just in case though, the young teacher watched her brood like a mother duck leading her little ducklings to the pond.

Mary and John ran squealing with delight onto the playground as their classmates raced to the swings and slide. One by one, they climbed the tall ladder of the slide and swiftly glided to the bottom running around to ascend the ladder once again.

The leaves blew about the playground and John yelled, "Tag! You're it!" and punched Mary in her arm. Mary laughed and turned to chase John across the playground. Within moments, other friends joined in the game teasing Mary to tag them as they ran away with squeals of delight.

On one side of the playground stood an old two-story gray building used by the six grade students for band lessons. The tall gray structure made an excellent place to pull up behind hanging out to observe from a distance before rejoining the game. John was hiding behind the band building as Mary ran by. He reached out grabbing her navy blue sweater. Mary, laughed yelling "Tag!". Then, before running, John gave her cheek a brisk smack then ran so Mary would chase him again. Children of innocence, thinking nothing of the other one's kiss, ran squealing like piglets in a game of Tag.

As Mary, John and all their friends ran noisily past the teacher on the other side of the building, they heard the teacher blow her whistle. "Girls play with girls, boys play with boys. Now, go on!". Reluctantly, the boys and girls separated not understanding why the teacher broke up their play. They did not have to know their teacher's reasons, they only had to obey her directions.

Innocent children, running, chasing, yelling "Tag! You're it!" on a cool autumn day. As adults we still feel the cool breeze, but fail to recapture those carefree days when our play was innocent fun. Sometimes we don't remember the feeling of excitedly running so hard on a cold day that our lungs feel as though they will burst. Then, well-meaning adults for whatever reason, tells us to stop and the rules of life begin to fill our minds with negative ideas.  The well adjusted child has a parent or guardian in their lives who lovingly explain the rules of life, obeying authority and the purposes of each. Sadly, some children grow up always taking orders, and never having a loving adult explain why there are rules. They never learn the good that can come from rules or the way to dispute a rule should they think it unfair. Those children grow up to be angry, bitter adults fighting authority in their school, at work and in life. They don't accept authority in a healthy manner. Their carefree days of childhood took place without parents who taught them how to cope in everyday life. They grew up to pass down their anger to their children.