One Reddit user has posted a picture indicating their child’s preschool has banned superhero play and overactive imaginations, fearing the little snowflakes may be getting carried away with all the fun being four entails. (A circumstance we believe has been ongoing since there were preschool kids roaming Earth.)
Redditor Oremor explains that his child came home from preschool and explained the superhero play ban, telling his dad that “make believe” was no longer allowed at preschool because of the inherent dangers of being playful and adorable.
The original text of the make believe ban read :
“Recently it has come to our attention that the imaginations of our preschool children are becoming dangerously overactive causing injuries within our pre-k community. Although we encourage creative thinking and imaginary play, we do not promote out [sic] children hurting one another.”
The note continued:
“Wrestling, Super Hero play, and Monster games will not be permitted here at [redacted school name]. In addition, please monitor the different media that your children may view. The re-enactment of televisions shows/movies are being done during active paly [sic] times in school.
Oremor posted the flyer to the r/philly subreddit, where Geekosystem rapidly picked up because there is no way to piss geeks off more than telling them they can’t be Batman. The additional factor of copious errors on the superhero play ban note was just icing on the outrage cake.
A Geekosystem writer talked about his post, to which Oremar replied in part:
“My son and I have always utilized superheroes as role models. We often talk on ways problems could have been solved rather than utilizing violence. (I have a masters in restorative practices, so believe me, I am not making this up. It’s sort of a game we play at home. “How could this have been solved peacefully?) However, sometimes, when the bully is too big, we find little recourse left but to meet force with force. It is this constant dialogue of ours regarding superheroes that has allowed us to address concepts such as right and wrong, good and bad, justice and injustice.”
Indeed, it seems contextualizing media (and not banning superhero play) is a fine strategy for dealing with life’s beasties, and the approach is correct — plus, banning imaginative play seems a losing battle.
The angry dad adds:
“You can therefore well imagine my anger when my son showed me the flyer with superheroes crossed out. I was livid! It was akin to a religious person (which we are not) finding their deity of choice called into question and ridiculed … This is nothing more than a bully who has her own issues with superheroes and is trying to force her views down the throat of others. Luckily i have my own superhero to turn to. THANK YOU REDDIT!”
The school involved has not commented on the superhero play ban (nor the atrocious spelling), but the internet is already beginning to take exception to this silly rule.
Do you think superhero play and other imaginative make believe is a healthy outlet for four-year-olds, or is the preschool correct in saying there is danger?
