“I just get all confused. I end up not talking all day long.”
Those are the words of little Ernie Stapleton, one of the many sarcastic children for whom Backwards Day is a difficult and confusing ordeal. For sarcastic children, facetious comments are their bread and butter. Sarcasm is essential to their very survival in the difficult social structures that exist in elementary school. It is the only way for these children to keep themselves personally and emotionally detached from the people and events in their lives.
On most days, the use of sarcasm has no negative short-term effects. The average child does not become fully jaded and emotionally dead inside until years down the road. Unfortunately, the pathetic gimmick of Backwards Day used by both Summer Camp Counselors and Elementary School Teachers turns the sarcastic child’s world violently upside down.
“Normally, when Billy does something stupid I make a comment like ‘Brilliant move Einstein.’ I don’t know what to say on Backwards Day though. I guess, to get the sarcastic meaning across I’d have to say something like, “That was a dumb move, stupid-face.” But that’s the kind of straight-forward aggression that sarcasm is supposed to help me avoid!”
“Yeah, what a great idea. You teachers are really doing such an amazing job at helping me out here. Thank you so much. You’ve made my life so much better. I mean, could you be any worse at teaching?”
So next time you think of a new way to spice up the school day, take a moment to think about the sarcastic children. But I suppose you already knew that, because you’re sooooo smart and all.