Thank You Dad: for dropping me on my head

My dad just recently came out to visit.  Among other things we did, we reminisced.  We remembered quite a few 'stupid' things I had done over time: skied into the back-country during a blizzard, rode a bike across country alone (bicycle), camped on the side of a mountain in a thunderstorm (the storm spooked our horses who ran off down the mountain).  Just naming a few there, and I realized my dad was involved in most of them.  Oh yeah, rock climbing in Wyoming and falling off the cliff(dad did try to catch me).

And most of the things, although usually involving hard work and risk, could be categorized as play.  Our play could have gotten us killed (we actually weren't reckless although the stakes were quite high).  And we were giggling about some of the more hair-brained moments.

Is my father stupid?  Well, here's the thing.  I, and he since his dad did the same, aren't qualified to answer that.  But fascinatingly, there is a professor who is.  Dr. Stuart Brown relatively recently investigated the importance of play, and play he calls 'rough and tumble'.  He's got a great TEDx that is nearly 30 minutes long.  Absolutely worth the time:

The video in a nutshell: play is vital for healthy development as well as learning.  He talks about various types of play--play for the sake of play, challenge base and complex play, and rough and tumble play.  It's the rough and tumble that will give you pause.  Researchers took a group of rats (guess they act and think a lot like humans!) and suppressed rough and tumble play in 1/2 of them.  Being a normal part of their behavior, this wasn't easy.  The other group was allowed to engage in it, bumps and all.  After the behavior was suppressed in the one group, the researchers subjected the entire population to a cat scent.  Turns out rats are hardwired to run from the scent of a cat.  All rats did in fact run and hide.

Here's the crazy part.  After some time, the rough and tumble rats poked their heads out and investigated their surroundings.  At first tentatively and then more aggressively until they resumed 'normal' behavior.  The suppressed rats?

They stayed hidden until they died.  Absent rough and tumble play, rats couldn't negotiate dangerous situations.  They just shut down.

Then, there's this Huffington Post article I just found (thanks Karen): 'Are We Raising a Generation of Helpless Kids?' (click on the image for the link)

  

This article in a nutshell: today's youth (American) is showing more anxiety, depression than any group and less success and determination.  Quite frankly, they just don't seem to have a realistic grasp on the difficulties of life.  During hardship--MANY JUST SHUT DOWN.  Honestly scary connection there with the rats.  When pressed for a reason, the article suggests:

"[There has been] an obsession with their children's safety in every aspect of their lives. Instead of letting them go outside to play, parents filled their kid's spare time with organized activities, did their homework for them, resolved their conflicts at school with both friends and teachers, and handed out trophies for just showing up." 1

The line about being obsessed with safety sticks with me.  Life is inherently unsafe.  It most certainly will end in death for all of us.  And yet, we humans are such amazing, resilient creatures.  If we never revel in our limits, play with abandon and take some risks, can we really know what we are capable of?  The science of play so far says no.  Avoiding risk is certain death.

So, dad, thanks for taking me out playing on rocks, and when I fell and you tried to catch me but missed?  It's ok.  Turns out the knock to my head was good for me.  

1.Goodman, Mickey. "Are We Raising a Generation of Helpless Kids?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 13 Feb. 2012. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.