Imrem: Adults mean well but don't always do well
Perhaps the time never has been better for the parents-kids talk.
No, stop it, not that one. Someone else will have to advise you as to when, where and how that discussion should take place.
My two areas of specialty are sports and never growing up, so I'm qualified to speak to the following.
Kids should sit their parents down and say, "Please, mom and dad, butt out and just let us go out and play."
Think about it.
A year ago, a Little League Baseball team from Chicago's South Side stole our hearts.
Jackie Robinson West was the rare all-black team to excel in the Little League Baseball World Series, and the players were as appealing as could be.
Then an eligibility scandal perpetrated by adults stripped the kids of their U.S. title.
"Please, mom and dad, butt out and just let us go out and play."
This week in the Little League Softball World Series, a team from Washington state was instructed to tank a game to, according to the tournament's formula, eliminate a powerful team from Iowa.
Sorry, I can't explain the mess any further than to point out that adults designed the dubious rules and coached the kids on how to lose.
"Please, mom and dad, butt out and just let us go out and play."
Finally, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison made news the other day by revealing that he took away "participation trophies" awarded to his two kids.
Youth-sports administrators - adults - decided it was a good idea to give each kid something. Harrison - an adult - disagreed. Countless others - more adults - debated the issue on new and old media.
"Please, mom and dad, butt out and let us just go out and play."
Seriously, let the two best players on the playground decide which picks first. Then let them choose teammates and decide who will be selected last and play right field like I always had to.
Let little Johnny and little Jimmy argue over a close play and start to settle it with pushing and shoving until big Jerry gets in the middle to prevent anyone from getting hurt.
Then let all of them hop on their bicycles and ride to the nearest food shop to spend their allowances on Popsicles.
"Please, mom and dad, butt out and just let us go out and play."
Parents of this generation might be shocked to learn how resourceful their young ones can be in sports when left to their own devices.
Kids can configure makeshift playing fields, figure out how to play with an odd number of players and settle any disputes that might arise.
Debbie can designate which trash can will be which base, Vicki can be the designated catcher for both teams because she has a catcher's mitt, and the older Terri can show the younger Toni how to field groundballs.
"Please, mom and dad, butt out and just let us go out and play."
Oh, you say that kids would simply sit in their rooms and play video games if adults didn't organize them?
Well, maybe the young ones would rather sit in their rooms and play video games because it's an escape from adults organizing them.
Parents mean well. They want the best for their kids. They believe that supervision is best for them.
But maybe, just maybe, supervising themselves would be best for kids at least until they get to high school.
"Please, mom and dad, butt out and just let us go out and play."
OK, I'm done pontificating and now all you adults can have that other parents-kids talk whenever you're ready.
mimrem@dailyherald.com