Tag! You're (no longer allowed to be) It!

Remember playing tag as a kid at recess? Or after school with the neighbor kids? Or in the park? The pool? At night with flashlights? Or - pretty much - wherever you and a playmate happened to be? Me too. Wasn't it so much fun?

So, were you as surprised as me to learn that a school board in Massachusetts has banned (yes, banned) tag at recess?? This article in Up & Coming Weekly has a pretty good take on the subject. I recommend reading it.

Apparently, the ban is being driven by a fear of lawsuit should a child sustain an injury while under the influence of tag. Now, I am as cautious and protective of my kids (my husband claims even more-so) than the next mom, but I would never consider suing our school system for a tag-related scraped knee.

Isn't it common sense parenting to understand that childhood playtime equals bumps, bruises, and even falling down while running? And, isn't it even more common sense parenting to recognize that tag equals really good exercise for our kids? In the age of a super-sized obesity epidemic, I thought we were trying to encourage activity in our kids, not the opposite.

As a SAHM I understand the importance of getting my kids outside, into the fresh air, to burn off some energy. It's good for them. They are happier and better able to focus afterwards. This mom, over at ClubMom.com, even plays (among other activities) indoor tag with her kids.

And if it's good for them while they're at home, I'm sure it's good for them, and all of their friends (not to mention their teachers), while they're at school. Some school districts have even begun to limit or eliminate recess altogether. I'd hate to see that kindergarten classroom.

I hope parents and school board officials alike come to their senses and remove this ban. In an effort to protect their kids they are really doing nothing but harm.

What's next - not allowing them to play on the jungle gym in case they slip and fall? Oooops...better not say it too loudly.

What You Blog Today Could Influence Your Job Search Tomorrow

SAHMs blog for many reasons: as a way to connect with other SAHMs; to have a creative outlet; and sometimes just to vent about the trials and tribulations of being home with little ones.

Many of us also entertain the notion of eventually returning to the work force.

Did you ever think that the all of that connecting, creating, and venting you do in your blog could potentially impact your future employment? Yep (gasp), it’s true.

More and more, employers are searching the internet to find whether a job candidate has a blog, and more importantly, what they’ve said in it. A study by the Society For Human Resource Management (January 2005) said 3 percent of the human resource professionals they polled will read a candidate’s blog prior to deciding whether to extend an offer to hire. The study is referenced in this article.

I know. Your mind is probably, right now, frantically sifting through every past blog entry, wondering whether you’ve ever written something incriminating. Mine sure did. But it might not be all bad.

In the journal New Scientist, Annalee Newitz wrote an article entitled “The Boss is Watching Your Every Click…Want Your Online Activity and Blogs Watched 24/7 by People Armed with Spying Software? Get a Job.” In it, Karen Wickre, the corporate blog editor at Google, is quoted saying she likes hiring bloggers since it’s “nice to know that they can put a couple of sentences together” and “We’re always looking for good people with talent. I’m not willing to make a blanket statement that blogs don’t matter.”

So theoretically, the content of your blog could be to your advantage once you decide to re-enter the job market. Not only a fun activity, blogging may just help you land the job of your dreams.

But, just in case, I think I’ll be clicking that spell check just a bit more often.