Mollycoddled

A note was sent to me by my daughter’s teacher asking to meet with her about a ‘certain matter’. Slightly concerned I approached her after school to converse.Apparently it had been noted (by other parents) that I did not drop my daughter at the classroom door on certain occasions. I had left her to walk from the gate to the classroom by herself. She went on to explain that in order to adhere to health and safety regulations, I was to in future escort my daughter all the way to the classroom.I thought it would not take too long before I was reported. I did notice the look of shock coming from certain well-groomed mothers.
Internally silently fuming I just smiled and nodded my head in submission. No amount of reasoning would work. I had the same problem at my daughters last school. It’s not the teacher’s fault, its society.
An internal monologue played in my head. If I did not care about risking my parent/teacher relations I would have said:“I believe that I have taught my child well enough for her to know the rules of safety. She knows not to talk to strangers, accept gifts from them nor to go off with them. She also knows where to kick or punch if she were forcibly removed. LOL!Never mind the fact that there are a dozen parents on her short fifty yards walk from the gate to the classroom who would not allow a stranger to whisk away my daughter.I think that our children have had all their responsibility taken away from them which has in turn disabled the confidence in themselves to make informed decisions about life. I completely trust in the ability and reasoning of my daughter to make the correct decisions”.
Sigh.... sigh.... SIGH!
Back in the good old days, all kids used to walk to school. Some on their own and some in groups. They used to go to the shop for their parents to buy bread and milk. Kids would stay out till past sundown running riot in the streets and returning caked in mud and grass stains.We believed in our kids back then - we trusted in their safety and innocence. They were naughty little “£$%“£ but we never doubted their ability.
Today, we have baby monitors (For Gods sake). We have walking rings that have so many safety gadgets on them that the poor baby does not have to joy of zooming around the kitchen floor. What’s the point?
Health and safety rule our society and one cannot escape. It’s everywhere. Especially in the work place. Inductions and courses and risk assessments. All a load of tosh. Nobody pays attention anyway. It’s just there for face value and insurance of course.
Well, to hell with H and S. My babies are very happy mushing their peanut butter sandwiches on the kitchen floor and their health couldn't be better.