Recess Rules!
Youth sports, once the symbol and home of aimless childhood play, have become hopelessly commercialized. I mean, for the love of Willie Mays, people were betting on this years’ Little League World Series, for crying out loud!! Sorry…deep breath. A recent article by a woman named Caitlin Moscatello in New York magazine shows how parents who are just seeking old-fashioned play for their kids, now find themselves sucked into the abyss of an all-consuming, pay-to-play industry. The appeal of childhood athletics is not mysterious, particularly today. Youth obesity is rising, and children spend increasing hours sedentary and online. But must providing such seemingly basic goods come at such a high cost? Organized sports should not be the only opportunity children have to move their bodies, build friendships, resolve conflicts, and test a degree of independence from adults. All of this has burst upon my brain because of a gift from one of T...