AIBU to think challenging school rules can harm children’s resilience?

[Teenytinypineapple]

AIBU to think that many of those parents who push back against schools and their rules are completely oblivious to the damage they're doing to their children?

The children who do the best are those whose parents instill in them that they should conform. Yes, that will cause difficulties at times. Yes, there will be things they don't like. But that's life. That's how children develop resilience.

Whilst little Timmy and his Mommy are complaining about the school sending him home for wearing the wrong shoes, little Jimmy has learned to suck it up, wear the damn shoes, get his head down and realise it's up to him to make the most of his education.

I'm not the teacher 😉

This.

I think part of being a functioning society is people understanding and following somewhat arbitrary rules. Like is it necessary for a child’s education that they have to wear certain kinds of shoes? No. But it teaches them that there are unwritten rules of conformity and decorum that will help them assimilate into being productive members of society. The ones who don’t understand that are the ones whining about why they can’t bring an ice coffee to an interview.

As others have said, some rules can be harmful such as not allowing children to go to the toilet during class. That is control for control’s sake imo and people of all ages have poo and period emergencies we can’t foresee. The point is to demonstrate discernment and teach your children critical thinking to understand why most rules are there for a reason to prepare them for the real world, and which rules may need a push back. But the answer imo is never “you should be able to do what you want.” If that’s your look out then go live on a desert island.