Playground equipment is a joy for every child, aren’t they? For parents and teachers, they give an opportunity for kids to use up their energy and make full use of their imagination. Then for adults, there is the dark side of playground slides!
The hardest thing about being a substitute teacher is playground duty. It’s not because the kids are that bad, not that the weather is so horrible. It’s because as a teacher, you’re supposed to be watching the kids, not playing on the equipment.
Sometimes, volunteer workers encounter disgusting situations. I thought about what that would look like if a boy volunteer was hoping for such a situation, but he had no luck. That led to this gross volunteering cartoon.
This cartoon reminds me of two times I volunteered and encountered something gross.
There are warning signs that are legitimate. As I write this, we are experiencing the beginnings of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 spread in the United States. It would be foolish to ignore the warnings such as those broadcast by the World Health Organization:
At the same time, there can be a lot of misinformation out there. And if you spend enough time on the Internet, you will find warnings that are overly cautious or just plain wrong.
When I drew this cartoon, I thought about how we can get overly cautious. It’s true that pollen can really mess with people. I’ve had hay fever over the years and I am not a fan of the time of year when goldenrod is in full bloom. Still, for most people, it’s not a severe weather event.
There are times when it takes courage to go out there into the world. It remains to be seen if all the conferences that are getting canceled due to COVID-19 are legitimate or overkill. We won’t know the full impact until much later. But in the meantime, we need to keep living and do the activities that make life full.
How are you handling this outbreak and all the warnings? Let us know in the comments.
No matter where you are, there is always a kid on the playground that will test the boundaries of the rules. Some will be blatant about it. Some will subtly test the boundaries until someone notices.
The same kids grow up to test boundaries. You see every day on the highways. Speed limits are conquered, red lights are beaten and accidents happen.
Cartoon of a business man jumping off a swing. The caption says, “Playground tester, Cyrus Kolter demonstrates his graceful form as he jumps off a swing.”
My dad is an insurance guy. He spent his career as an underwriter. He sees safety hazards wherever he goes. Sometimes, that didn’t make trips to the playground fun. I didn’t realize the curly slides could be such a death trap.
All the same, he taught me to pay attention to my surroundings. Too many times, we assume a playground, a school or any public place is safe. While officials like Cyrus Kolter do their best to make these places attractive and without hazards, It’s always a good idea to pay attention and survey the area instead of plunging right in to that merry-go-round of misery.
Have fun, people! But play it safe too!
