Book Review - A Running Start

Before the whole pregnancy/loss debacle, I offered to participate in the Mother Talk “Running Start” book tour. I was schedule to do my review yesterday, but well, you know.

 When Andi contacted me with a list of four books that were up for review, I knew imm ediately that this was a book I would be interested in reading. And not just because included in the other options was a book on organic cooking for your kids. For someone who considers ketchup as a food group and microwave fries as home cooking, that was clearly not a book I was going to love reading.

 However, I knew I would enjoy Rae Pica’s latest book, A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity, and Free Time Create a Successful Child (Marlowe & Co., 2006).

 I have always been a big believer in allowing children to be children. I believe that childhood is a precious time, a time too fleeting and a time to be protected. We are forced to grow up too quickly in today’s modern times. And a big part of being a child is play.

 I was horrified to read in Rae’s book about the Super Kid phenomenon.  About how children as young as 3 and 4 are pushed into 4 or 5 extramural activities a week. About how competitive parents are and about how it is all about being the cleverest, the fastest; the top of your class. Even more horrifying is reading how schools are cutting back at things like recess to fit in more academic activities. It is sickening. What are we doing to our children? What happened to play?

 I am so pleased I have read this book, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I am in the process of looking at a crèche for my kids, and the book’s central theme has really reinforced my belief that the right school for my kids is one that focuses on the whole child, and not just the academic or structured aspects.

 This is such an important book. A book that every parent and educator should read. And certainly every policy maker. I wish I had more time to say more about it, but as you know, it’s been a crappy week for me. I just didn’t want to not tell you about it.

 Running Start is a very informative, balanced book and you would be doing yourself and your children a great service by reading it.

 Please have a look at the Mother Talk site for other blogger’s reviews on Running Start.

 Read more about the book here

 

About Rae:
Rae Pica is a children's physical activity specialist and the director and founder of Moving & Learning: The Movement Education Specialists. She is the author of numerous books, columns, and articles on children and movement, and is a consultant for companies including Sesame Workshop, Gymboree, and Nickelodeon's Blues clues.

Comments

[Kathy B.]

Sounds like a great book for people with small children.

Had to do a double-check on "creche" though -- here are the definitions as presented by dictionary.com -- when I hear creche, I think of definition #1 -- obviously your reference is #3!

1. a small or large modeled representation or tableau of Mary, Joseph, and others around the crib of Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem, as is displayed in homes or erected for exhibition in a community at Christmas season.
2. a home for foundlings.
3. British. a day-care center; day nursery.
4. Animal Behavior. an assemblage of dependent young that are cared for communally.

[Suzie-Q.]

Yah, i thought of baby Jesus lying in a crib in a barnyard!!!
MWAH!

[Kristin]

My older daughter attends an all girls school that goes from Grade 4 (about 9 yrs of age) to Grade 9 (about 14-15 yrs of age) that is completely integrated as far as their activities are concerned. They do grade appropriate curriculum and then all their extras such as drama, music, art etc are done as an entire school. It focuses on being a girl, being a group and learning as girls do. It has been absolutely fantastic - she went from a struggling C student to the honour roll 2 yrs in a row now and the attitude has left the building.
So I'm with ya 100% on a school/daycare/nursery that focuses on the whole child, not academia all the time. I'm looking forward to sending my little princess there in a few years.