Kids have always loved climbing trees. It’s what they do.
That’s why this mum was annoyed and disheartened when her 12-year-old sons, Ryan and Patrick, were asked to stop climbing one on their school’s grounds.
While they were having a bit of fun up in the branches, Julie Holcombe’s boys were approached by a man – perhaps a teacher or a guard – who told them to get down from there at once.
“I’ve been watching you climb this tree after school for a while, and even sent a security guard over to talk to you, but you were being evasive of the officer,” he said.
And the man’s biggest concern? That the school could end up being sued.
Mum Julie thought that was a little ridiculous, and took to Facebook to let the world know. In an open letter, she had a bit of a vent.
“I can think of a few things better than knowing they are spending their time playing outside in the fresh air, taking advantage of the beautiful playground that nature can provide, getting exercise, using their imagination…all while climbing a tree,” she wrote to the nameless school official.
“Your rationale that they should not partake in this activity for fear that if they fall, the school district will be sued is both sad and ridiculous.”
But Julie didn’t stop there. To make her point crystal clear, the inventive mum created a permission slip for her boys. Signed and dated, it states that she grants her boys permission to:
“Climb a tree, run around, pick up sticks, pretend to have a sword fight, play unsupervised sports, and generally do anything and everything related to being a kid.”
Julie also used the post as an opportunity to call out other parents who are “too quick to place blame on teachers or school administrators for the shortcomings of their own children.
Read Julie's full post below.
SHARE if you liked this post.
