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Thursday 3 July 2014

The Playcode....

I was listening to the radio yesterday morning and they had picked up on a story about how a local council has instructed North Tyneside children how to play outdoors..... 

Residents complained about several incidents where groups of children were playing ball games and another complained about a child kicking a ball into a garden and damaging some plants....

This has resulted in an information leaflet been sent out to local residents with details of a 'Playcode'....

The playcode states....

  • If there is a kickabout site in your area, use it if your parents agree....
  • Don’t play out alone, always tell your parents where you will be and when you will be back....
  • Playing in roads is very dangerous and can be against the law....
  • Keep your play area tidy - take your little home or bin it, and report any glass or dog dirt....
  • Try not to damage plants or trees - even if they do make good goalposts....
  • If your ball goes in a garden - knock and ask before going in to get it....
  • Don’t climb over walls, hedges and fences to get your ball back.....
  • Play somewhere else if the balls keep going in gardens or causing damage....
  • Try not to be noisy - that is shouting and the sounds of balls on the walls....
  • Don’t play in one place for a long time especially late into the evening....
  • If you cause damage it’s fairest to own up or at least tell your parents....
  • Unless on a proper pitch, use a softball to avoid damage....
This list is so ridiculous and so condescending to parents.... Yes it is great for encouraging safe play for children but surely parents should not have to be reminded of this.....It's just common sense! 

Once upon a time children were allowed to play without being issued a heap of rules.....The only rules there was when I was a kid was not to talk or go with strangers and to be home before dark....The rest I knew as I had respect for other people, their property and a bit of common sense!!

Another thing I don't get is how people can complain about groups of children yet they are instructed not to play out alone....Guess they never thought that one through....

It does seem in and around Newcastle they have a problem letting kids being kids.....It was only a little while ago that a group of girls were stopped from making a den and reported for antisocial behavior....

15 comments :

  1. Crazy. But I don't think it's just your part of the world, we have similar things - if not written rules - here. I worry that kids today will grow up scared to do anything or go the other way and completely rebel when they are "grown ups" because they have been told no so many times. It makes you wonder if the people making the rules were ever kids themselves. (Great post!). Emma

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    1. Thanks. It is Crazy! People do seem to forget they were kids once upon a time...

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  2. This is such a shame, and I'm wondering how much the leaflet campaign cost, too...

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    1. I never thought of that! I won't have been cheap x

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  3. Maybe they could direct the money spent on leaflet campaigns to improving facilities for kids!! Great Post!

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    1. It would make sense but when have councils ever done the sensible thing...Thanks x

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  4. How ridiculous is that!! The poor kids will be scared to breathe next. No wonder kids these days prefer to play inside on their computers, less chance of getting into trouble that way.

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  5. This is crazy, you have to wonder where it will all end! Oh, and as a resident of North Tyneside, how lovely to see that they can't spend money fixing the potholes in our street, but they're happy to spend our Council Tax on these ridiculous leaflets!

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    1. It's crazy....Oh and don't get me started on Pot holes...I keep seeing on the North East news that they've fixed so many hundred pot holes in Northumberland....lol I'd love to know where...There's loads near me....lol

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  6. Health and safety gone mad, this kind of stuff infuriates me - let kids be kids! I know it's not safe sometimes - they are putting themselves in danger - but let parents decide. Surely stuck in front of a computer screen playing violent games is a whole lot worse for everyone concerned. Nonsense.

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  7. This is so ridiculous, I'm finding it hard to believe! Let childhood be rule-free, please. #PoCoLo

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  8. I have to go against the grain on this one. Prior to living where I do now, we lived next door to a woman whose child caused us immense distress. Her child played on the communal area outside our house AND used to kick his football against the garages in the private close where any car could drive around. This distressed me so much that, despite asking his mother time and again for it to stop, it didn't. One day I went over to ask him to stop. He went running into his mother who came outside and had an almighty go at me and even ended up pushing me - with her son using the 'f' word in the background at me - and she was having a go at me for not letting Grace play with her son (he was 8). When he swore at me, I told her that this was exactly why. This child was also suspended 3 days into a new term of junior school for kicking a teacher. So, yes, some parents do need this. Not that they will listen I expect. Thanks for linking to PoCoLo :) x

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  9. I know this list sounds so common sense but you will be surprise on how much people doesnt have much of it so this probably really will help some people and kids. #pocolo

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