Well, sure, Ake, I'm pretty pink myself. Those sorts of things might be beneficial to some kids, and other opportunities to do other sorts of things might be beneficial to others. I think that's true.

    But the systematic idea that kids are being prepared for "life" is a pretty cruel hoax, though. This expanding conception of semi-suspended animation deeply insults kids. More stuff to actually do is good, but we tend to taint a lot of what we could offer kids to do, because we're... what's the word I'm looking for? ...worried? busy? tired? scared? sick?

    Even in self-conscious role playing, grown teachers begin to act out, childishly, when they're treated condescendingly, without positive expectations. My boy is seven. After the first week of school he had a few comments. He was glad he wasn't in the new teacher's class because they have to do "funsheets". That's for kindergarten--they're WORKsheets, he says. And this is the third time we're learning about Johnny Appleseed, he says. (I think teachers like it as a metaphor for what they do. The kids are starting to wonder what what's going on. )