LET KIDS BE KIDS

Dec. 31, 2000 - Peering into my crystal ball, this psychic-in-training sees
endless possibilities for the coming year. In the past year, we've had a
lot of strange things happen; so if that was any indication, we're all in
for a wild ride. Developers could possibly preserve some of our rapidly
receding wilderness. If we're lucky, George W. might actually accomplish
something other than beating all of his PlayStation 2 games. Heck, while
we're at it, maybe Hanson will finally get some real recognition.

I can dream, can't I?

With November's passage of Amendment 20 - legalizing the use of medical
marijuana in Colorado - big questions were raised about the use of drugs -
questions that should draw our attention in the coming year.

More specifically, the plight of the voiceless and doped-up elementary
school masses. Two million children in the United States are being subdued
by the too-widely-prescribed "calming" drug Ritalin. School-age children
are given the drug so they can better concentrate. But is this drugging out
really necessary? School-age boys and girls are natu rally full of energy,
full of life. They love to laugh and live, and coming from this hyperactive
child, no kid wants to be subdued. But parents and educators take it upon
themselves to stifle kids' personalities, to turn them into miniature
adults who are able to sit and study quietly and with more focus. Perhaps
the reason for this over-prescription can be attributed to the stress and
fast times of modern life; parents and teachers are strung out about
over-work, under-pay and the speed of society. They simply may not possess
the patience for the normal behavior of a child. Because of this
dependency, Ritalin production is up 700 percent since 1990.

Whatever the reason for the trend, childhood is a short few years when
goofy joking and silly mischief can and should be enjoyed without
consequence, even if it does mean a little less productivity in the classroom.

Just because it's harder to deal with a lively child doesn't mean that
Ritalin is the answer. Perhaps it's time public schools find ways to reach
out to children who don't learn from standardized tests and endless
lectures. Perhaps we should go back in time to the day of the science fair
and the class historical play; activities in which learning can happen,
energy can be burned, and which will keep alive the spark for learning that
is increasingly being lost.

On top of taking away energy and unique personalities, the hypocrisy of the
Ritalin phenomenon is unbelievable. Kids take this personality-altering
drug, and then their parents send them off to DARE, where they are taught
that anyone who tries a joint will become a crazy drug addict. Of course,
Ritalin should be prescribed only to those with true attention deficit
problems, but the use of the drug as a crutch to make teachers' and
parents' lives more convenient is wrong, and it should be stopped. The
challenge is to harness the hyperactive creativity and make it positive.