Culture Dictates That Men Can't Be Affectionate to Kids

You know it seems as if this world has become way too overprotective of...well everything. Best example of this: Warning labels on frozen food say: Do not eat frozen.

It was just an interesting thought that got in to my head when came across The Death of Common Sense:How Law is Suffocating America by Phillip K Howard. I didn't get to read the book but the back cover was enough to get the thought in my head.

Sure there are cases of absurdity in American law telling us not to do the obvious but I find that this "big brother" approach to common sense is just absurd in itself. 2 examples:

I bet you can remember games like dodgeball and tag from you school years however many schools have banned them from being played during PE and recess.

In New Jersey, cupcakes and candy are banned from being served in schools even on birthdays.

The paranoia of this does spread though when it comes to summer camps. A friend of mine and I got into a conversation while signing our names on a " worker's behavior handout" that we were required to read. Well obviously being the stupid college kid I am glazed over the thing but what got my attention (albeit not that much) was the case of pedophilia.

My friend worked in a summer camp back near his home and went through a literally sexist experience. According to him, the male mentors of the summer camp ( who where in their late teens and early 20s) had to avoid as much physical contact with their kids to dodge allegations of pedophilia by their parents. Women on the other had were given more freedom on this issue. His experience concluded that assuring pats on the back, messing up a kid's hair or even giving the kid a hug when he/she was down conjured fears of pedophilia among the camp's staff.

I really think that something like that is absurd beyond belief. I grew up around mentors who gave my pats on the back during my tennis days and hugs when I got picked on as a kid but now its just seems that in light of the fairly huge awareness of sexual child abuse, such acts are now taboo among men when they are taking care of their mentees. That pat on the back when I gave a good forehand shot and that hug I got showed that people are out there for me even when my parents weren't around.

Being a mentor needs a connection and the fact that men can't give that physical affection, I really think that we need to reassess how to raise kids.