the case of the "really cool" tree

So, according to some of the children in our neighborhood, we have a "really cool" tree in our backyard. It is a tree that hangs over the fence. The two branches hanging over the fence, both about 6 inches in diameter, are perfectly eye-level to your average 4th grader. If you push down on the branch and lift your body up, you can get yourself onto the branch. The children find that each branch seats 3 comfortably, for a total of 6 kids on the branches at once. At that point, the once eye-level-to-your-average-4th-grader branch sinks until it's about 2 feet off the ground. Obviously, this can put a unique amount of stress on this "really cool" tree.

Approach number 1:

Yell at the kids and tell them to get off. This worked when we were there and we saw they were on the tree. We could argue that approach number one was mildly ineffective. I'm not going to spend too much on the efficacy of this approach, because it honestly didn't work. The kids were on the tree moments after we told them to get off. The kids were still sitting in the tree (all six of them), with the oldest one swaying his body like you would on a swing to get back-and-forth action. It looked like the tree was in the middle of a tornado.

Approach number 2:

I approached the kids and said, "I want you to be able to play on the tree."

The littlest one immediately demands, "Yeah, it's a really cool tree!"

I supported him, "Yes, it is definitely a cool tree." I went on, "And I want you to be able to enjoy the tree. But I am concerned that if you play with the tree like you are currently, it will become weak and the 'really cool' tree will break. That wouldn't be good because then you couldn't play with the tree." I added, "Also, I don't want to have to keep coming out here and telling you guys to not be so rough with the tree. So, we have to come up with a plan."

All eyes were on me.

I told them I thought we should come up with some "guidelines" for the tree. We would establish agreed upon guidelines and hold each other to them. The guidelines are as follows:

1.) 2 kids per branch (total of 4 kids)
2.) No rocking

Everyone agreed.

I also told them I would build supports that would go underneath the two branches. One of the children proclaimed, "Like a tree house!"

We would start with basic supports, and go from there. Long term, I told them, we might connect the two supports with a bench that would allow for extra seating.

I built them a ladder on the same day I built the supports.

I left, feeling quite excited about our new adventure. Upon my return to the gym, I noticed that the ladder was missing. I'll admit it, my initial reaction was anger. I was angered that these kids would steal the thing I made them that was designed to help them enjoy their tree.

Not so fast. I went over to the tree and noticed the ladder was lodged between some branches.

The children later informed me they had to do that to keep the ladder safe. As one stated, "If we kept the ladder where it was, everyone would be able to see it. Someone would probably take it."

My conclusions:

1.) Demanding the children stay off the tree is ineffective, short lived at best. Me telling the children that climbing and bouncing on the tree would hurt it would do no good. Why would the children care about hurting the tree? They don't care how old it is, how healthy it is, how sick it is, or that we want the tree to hang over the fence because we think it looks cool. They care about the state of the tree to the extent that it directly affects them. I promoted ownership of the tree among the children by telling the children that how long the tree will be around is directly related to how they treat it. Bam! The kids now own the tree (which is a good thing when I am trying to get them to treat it nicely)!

2.) The children were more likely to follow mutually agreed upon tree rules because they felt a since of ownership of the tree.

3.) Children in this area know the value of objects and keep them close at all times. They also make sure that these objects are out of sight from those individuals who might want to take those items. These kids at school are going to be very possessive of their items. They might even hide items (much like these kids did the ladder).

Well, this isn't as comprehensive as I would've liked, but it's a start. The implications of "the case of the really cool tree" are too many to outline in this blog. And, so I won't.

Peace.