Re: scared of being nice to kids -
we have problems with child abuse in Ireland too, but this reaction really seems like a uniquely American thing. My aunt and her family (Irish/German) moved to New Haven for a semester and I think they were a little surprised. She sent me this
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[our 12 year old daughter], who had only been in school one week and had not as yet made any friends, was completely dependent on me, even to go outside the house (Americans don't let their children roam on their own).
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I don't know why this is an American thing and not European.
Another example: I used to quite regularly take high school students aged 11-18 on chess trips, with and without teachers, as a voluntary leader. I got on well with the kids (I wouldn't have done it otherwise). There were often hugs all round after a good result. We played football, rugby, piggyback races, all kinds of messing around. I can't imagine doing the same in America.
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