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Post by Jazz on May 30, 2011 17:47:50 GMT 1
Aye, its a real problem this sort of thing. My older brother, who is slightly eccentric and single, loves kids, especially toddlers & babies. Whenever I'm out with him, say walking on the seafront or something he'll often smile down on some child or laugh at them or make some comment. He seems to be totally oblivious that people could get the wrong idea about him. Most times, the parent/s are with the kids but sometimes maybe they're not......I dread to think if someone like who Shads described above happened to be on the scene when this happens!
I'm very aware of this and am much more "in tune" with today's thinking but its a bad state of affairs when you have to think like this!
Maybe, other more "child orientated" countries like, maybe, Italy, Greece etc have a different attitude....I don't really know if its a British thing or not?
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2011 22:42:49 GMT 1
Interesting to discuss actual views on how men in this country are perceived when it comes to their involvement with Children. For example yesterday I did the full on rematch of the Barca v Man Utd game with my 5 year old grandson and some of his friends the oldest of which as it happens was female (7) and sister of one of the other boys. All the rest were male aged about 5 or 6. Worth noting I did not personally know all of the children although they obviously knew each other. For about 40 minutes it was just me and the kids having a real good time on our local playing field. There was no one else about other than my wife who was on another part of the field in the section for toddlers with our youngest Grandson (2), but she eventually went home with him. Having read the last couple of posts it just makes me wonder what some people would have made of that situation. I have to admit at the time it never crossed my mind what anyone would think. Now I'm not so sure.......... The pleasing thing from my point of view was that when one of the parents (we had never met before) came for his son to take him home he simply asked me if we had had a good game. As for the kids well they just wanted to know when they could do it again...................and that possibly says a whole lot more than any other viewpoint. CWL  |
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Post by Jazz on May 30, 2011 23:13:54 GMT 1
Yes, its a strange situation men are in when it comes to these situations. I cannot remember, as a kid, ever having had any "nasty" experiences but I suppose on reading the papers that these things happened and are still happening. I suppose we can become hyper sensitive about the issue because of this?
Anyway, glad you enjoyed the "kick about", CWL........I bet you were Messi! ;D
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2011 23:27:14 GMT 1
No I was playing as both Van der Sar and Valdes the goalkeepers.... CWL  |
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Post by grimreaper on May 31, 2011 7:13:07 GMT 1
In my 30s I took up teaching kids of 8/9 how to play football when they all where eligable, 9yrs of age we became a team Bloomfields FC in the junior mercury league south east London.
Anyways cut a long story short I carried on with this team till they were 16 and then started again when asked by alot of the parents in my area Wallworth.
I did this for about 9/10 yrs all told.
Today I could not do that ok my health firstly but as been pointed out to me by all my friends and family who all know me.I was a manager that would hold boys when they were having a bad time and also hold them when I was scolding them for fighting or swearing and looking them in the eye so they knew I meant what I said.
My way was straight talking and no pussy footing about,if a kid swore whilst training he run around the field for an hour stopping every circuit to do 20 press ups.
You might think what a great way to dodge training but as they soon found out less training,less learning and they would then drop down the team selection list for Sundays.They soon got the hang of things.
I actually called a spade a spade and yes I did hear rumblings sometimes behind me when the parents were listening but I told it how I saw it.
If a kid said to me that the opposition where calling him names the N word then I would often say but you are and you will have to get used to it if you want to be a good footballer or in any walk of life.
I would say this to them.
Just smile and that will annoy them more because they cannot rile you.Which is the whole reason behind them calling you names cos you are better than them.
The teaching and training did work and we also had a list of kids wanting to join Bloomfields.
Apparently anyone that does this kind of thing is not allowed near kids anymore.
Its a pity really cos they were great times in my life, and I know for a fact that those kids got a lot of benefit from it and education on life.
I see a lot of them occasionally when I go back to Wallworth and I am pleased with what I believe such a small family run club achieved.
One became the England capt: for a while.
Carl Cort played for your Maggpies outfit, Jason Ewell played for quite a few teams including Middlesborough, Nigel Quashie is about somewhere and there are quite a few I know playing for teams in the non league.They all started their footballing at Bloomfields under my mates and I.
All fathers wanting an outlet for their children,and all sponsored by ourselves and local sports shops.
The only downside was the reason I started it was my boy and he told me when he was 16 that he did'nt want to play anymore..
Great pity cos he had the brightest future.
But thats the way football is.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2011 11:55:33 GMT 1
Appreciate we are moving off topic here. However as someone else who has an active interest in junior football (with both boys and girls teams) among other sports, it has changed an awful lot over the years. Not always for the better I may add. As a kid we just about played anywhere we could, back streets, school yards, school fields, youth clubs, parks, welfare grounds and even farmers fields if it came to it............. There may have been arguments about who scored some of the goals but in the main most matches were self regulated with little dispute. We just got on with it which when I think about it is quite amazing. Now you are lucky if there's anywhere to play...............nevermind coach children. Schools don't encourage kids to play any games like they did when I was growing up. As most have gone down the PC brigades push for total inclusion and non competitive activity. Totally missing the point that we are not all made equal no matter what is said to the contrary. That aspect is even more baffling if you watch your average 12 year old male play computer games................ Talk about wanting to win. With some games it's like world war three has broken out! Even more bizarre when so much is made of children never getting any proper physical exercise. Disadvantaged children from low income families or those with disabilities can love sport as much as those with high incomes or able bodied, but they are not stupid when it comes to playing or competing so why treat them as such. I've met autistic boys who can stagger you with statistics about teams and players or know the laws backwards yet don't know which way their side is kicking during a game. Possibly an extreme but hardly a level playing field there then........... That aside they still take a huge amount away regarding self discipline including positive social interaction and many parents ask the coaches I'm involved with how they do it? Mainly because on occasions it comes as such a surprise given the nature and vagaries of that condition. I put it down to the love of the sport plus the sheer enthusiasm of coaches and other people who get involved no matter what it is...........football, cricket, swimming etc. etc. etc. The really sad thing is, like many other parts of life now, it has so many conditions wrapped around it which must be complied with, we have lost sight of the real benefits from doing it in the first place. Namely to have some fun. Perhaps that's why so many people don't get involved. Mind you rather surprisingly in some areas it's mums more than dads who appear to be behind a lot of junior teams these days. Rant over............. CWL |
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Post by grimreaper on May 31, 2011 13:24:35 GMT 1
I don't think you are moving off topic CWL.
Its just another area where like you say the PC brigade have got their fingers in there and screwed it up.
Will there ever be an end to this bloody political correctness it as certainly been a major factor in fetching this country to its knees.
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Post by Ann1 on May 31, 2011 18:30:37 GMT 1
Must agree here. People are so afraid of doing or saying anything, in case the wrath comes down upon them, that nothing gets done or said these days!!!  I think we should just tell these people to sling their hooks, kids need to play out, but there again, parents need to stop wrapping kids in cotton wool as well!! 
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2011 20:15:41 GMT 1
I have the utmost sympathy for many parents these days should they have the misfortune to have to take their kids to see a doctor. Simply because the child has done themselves some kind of harm while playing. The degree of suspicion is quite frightening to see. Firstly from the abuse angle (don't get me started!) and secondly as if somehow as a parent you are totally out of your mind not to watch them every second or as Ann points out wrap them up in cotton wool. It's bad enough having to experience it as a grandparent never mind if the child was one of my own. On one occasion I did actually say something to a nurse, but my daughter said not to make a fuss. For every medical expert who says you should try explaining to a two year old why they shouldn't step off the top of a climbing frame because they will hurt themselves. I'll show you a child who thinks they can fly! It also makes me wonder do any of them have children of their own or is this just another example of the nanny state telling us all what is best for us? Don't get me wrong as I fully appreciate not everything is as it appears to be on the surface. However regretably it's just another thing which I believe is now so different even from say twenty years ago and not necessarily for the better. CWL |
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Post by Jazz on May 31, 2011 22:02:43 GMT 1
There is a lot to be said for the Nike advertising slogan....."Just Do It"!   |
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Post by Shadow on Jun 8, 2011 17:32:27 GMT 1
Awful story in the news recently about a male nursery worker abusing very young children where he worked Its this sort of story that puts back the case for men working with young kids back years unfortunately. In reality tho it shows that despite CRB checks etc unfortunately paedophiles do slip through the net and it illustrates just how cunning they are.The last instance of this I heard of was a female worker being involved. |
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Post by Jazz on Jun 9, 2011 12:13:38 GMT 1
Yes, Shadow, its a very unfortunate (to say the least!) that this abomination has happened....like you say, it doesn't make the case for more males working in the sector any easier.
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Post by Jazz on Jun 21, 2011 18:36:37 GMT 1
Pleased to say that my daughter got her degree today...she already had her foundation degree (Children & Young Persons) so her dissertation on "Men working in childcare" must have been OK along with her other work. She is now in the process of trying to get a job looking after children on holiday abroad....which could be nice as well as hard work....hope she gets it! |
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Post by Shadow on Jun 21, 2011 18:50:21 GMT 1
Excellent news Jazz :)Well done to her  Im confused about the job shes applying for tho-do you mean kids in care that go abroad ? |
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Post by Jazz on Jun 21, 2011 20:32:25 GMT 1
Shads, no, I think it is one of these holiday companies who require qualified people to look after, organize events, games...generally keep the children happy while their families are abroad. She is doing a first aid course (with emphasis on babies, children) tomorrow then going down to Luton for an assessment, interview etc. It will be good experience for her and probably short term if she gets it....its up to her what follows after that....hopefully, employment in what she wants to do! Doesn't necessarily follow though these days! |
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I think we should just tell these people to sling their hooks, kids need to play out, but there again, parents need to stop wrapping kids in cotton wool as well!! 
