Ring around the rosie / A pocket full of posies / Ashes, ashes / We all fall down. How many readers recall childhood days of singing this simple “nursery” rhyme, followed by pretend-falling and a gaggle of giggles? I do not recall my two brothers ever engaging in Kate Greenway’s Mother Goose (1881) ring-singing, but I remember being a fun-loving and innocent participant. No one mentioned that this ditty may tell the sad story of the Black Plague beast which killed one-fifth of London’s population, or about 75,000 individuals, in 1665.
This interpretation of the British rhyme is scary, but historical. The “ring of rosie” represented the deadly rashes of bubonic plague; the “posies” were a supposed prevention. The final two lines refer to death. However, some folklore experts deny such explanations, preferring to endorse happier themes. One argument against the Plague version suggests that when children jump back up after singing the rhyme, there is no foreshadowing of death.
When rhymes (and misinformation) pass by word of mouth before any versions receive verification, wording and meaning changes run rampant. Nursery rhymes initially were used for children’s reading phonological awareness, not history lessons. Memorizing rhymes aids in reading fluency and memory building, among other learning skills. Nursery rhyming is fun, an educational ingredient we sometimes forget.
Of course, real life is not always fun. Adults know this. However, as Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget reminded adults, “Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his (her, or their) society… but for me…education means making creators…you have to make inventors, innovators, not conformists.”
How can we better educate precious children to be creative, innovative, and yet understand life’s complexities? We cannot shield kids from learning about ring-around-the-rosie plagues, pandemics, or beastly wildfires in Canada, Greece, and Maui. When I see the charred remains of cars reduced to ashes — trying to rescue beloved adults, children and pets in Maui — I cringe. This is tough stuff that calls for educating both adults and children to be innovators in fixing our climate and maintaining sustainable resources.
Piaget’s wise words are helpful: “The principal goal of education should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.” We simply must address reality as a first step. No, climate change is not a hoax. Tropical Storm Idalia with sustained winds of 65 mph has the current potential to turn into hurricane winds reaching 74+ mph tomorrow; projections are for a curving storm center to head into Florida’s west coast.
We must acknowledge the beasts among the posies or beauties of nature. Innovators can identify positive resources and share creative solutions across countries. We need a ring-around-the-planet approach.
What is your new rhyme for children?
Pearls of Peace (PoP) Quiz
215. When are you most innovative?
216. How might you contribute to some child’s creativity?
Pearls of Peace: A Family Psychologist’s Circle-of-Life Blog 