Silly Bandz: The latest craze to be banned

Those stretchy, colorful, spaghetti-thin bracelets that are all the rage with the grade-school set are getting banned from more and more classrooms because teachers say the silicone jewelry has become a major distraction.

Some children line their arms — wrist to elbow — with Silly Bandz.They sort them, trade them, steal them, convene them and flick them.

La Jolla elementary school was the latest campus to ban the Bandz last week after virtually every teacher agreed the wrist wear was causing problems.

"We have kids playing with them instead of doing their work.Kids take them off in class, and at recess they trade them, "says Principal Donna Tripe, who said nearly every student complied with the ban when it started Friday.

The trend began last year at certain campuses nationwide, but the rubber band-like bracelets didn't really creep into San Diego County classrooms until school resumed this summer in many parts of the region.

The bands, which cost about $ 5 for a pack of 24, are popular with both boys and girls. They come in a variety of colors and shapes — from pumpkins to princesses to footballs to frogs.

Like Pokemon and baseball cards before them, the bands are the latest obsession — and playground currency — for children.They're also the latest items to be banned on campuses.

In some schools, the aforementioned Pokemon and baseball cards are no-nos.In others, children are prohibited from trading them to avoid disputes and distractions.

Cade Kronemyer, a fourth-grader at La Jolla elementary, says there's a sort of ranking system for the bands.Like most collectibles, the Accueil tr?s chaleureux; the better.

In the case of Silly Bandz, peace signs and saxophones are among the most coveted. Kronemyer, owner of more bands than he can remember, doesn't like the decision to prohibit them.

"You just wear them.They're awesome, "he said.

As for the complaint about students fiddling with the bands and trading them during class time, Kronemyer says that's only "true of some kids."

His twin sister, McKena, owner of only one Silly Bandz — a dolphin — disagreed with her brother, noting that teachers sometimes have to interrupt lessons to collect the bracelets.School office staff and principals also said they're increasingly getting roped into settling disputes about Bandz trades gone sour and allegations of Silly Bandz theft.

Fausto Barragan, principal at North Terrace elementary school in Oceanside, said students are sent to his office about three times a week about Silly Bandz trades gone bad or accusations or stealing.

"They need me to investigate who stole Silly Bandz.My biggest concern on this campus is that they are a distraction, "said Barragan, who plans to issue a schoolwide ban soon.

At Jerabek elementary school in Scripps Ranch, the popular bracelets are outlawed in select classrooms.At the same time, the bracelets are among the rewards that students can get for good behavior.

"We have no problem with them during recess or lunch," said Vice Principal Vicki sandy beach."It's up to a teacher's discretion whether or not to ban them."

The serious side of Silly Bandz, the latest collectible craze

Psychologists say colorful bracelets can build social skills, but some teachers don't want them aroundParents may call them a fad. Teachers may call them a distraction but some child psychology experts say the colorful, collectible rubber bands that have captured the hearts of suburban kids in recent months are tools that can help them build social skills, form friendships and learn other important life lessons. And like stickers and collectible cards before them, the bands can even help inspire children struggling in school by being used as rewards for completing math problems, raising a hand before speaking or accomplishing other challenging tasks. "Those items have been very successful in terms of (motivating) kids, "said Mundelein, Illinois elementary District 75 psychologist Cindy Sementa. But there is that matter of being distracting in class. Some educators have declared the bands contraband or restricted their presence to the playground because they can take students ' attention away from's schoolwork. "If the start outweighing the pros cons ... then you have to start making an adjustment for that, "said Jason Leahy, executive director of the Illinois Principals Association. Silly Bandz and their similarly named ilk are the latest craze school yard collectible, occupying the attention of kids in the same way marbles, baseball cards, Pogs and Pokemon cards did for children of other generations. The stretchy bracelets come in countless shapes and colors and are available for purchase in toy stores, greeting-card shops, discount stores and many other locations. Packs or 12 or 24 generally cost less than $ 5. Inspired by a Chinese product, their popularity in the U.S. started in the South and expanded to the Chicago area toward the end of the 2009-10 school year. This summer, kids from across the suburbs were busy swapping the bands at camps, community swimming pools, vacation destinations and other locations. The social aspect of band collecting is valuable for kids, says child psychologist Kenneth H. Kessler, the director of the clinical counseling program at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago. Whereas adults can talk and bond about concepts like sports, politics or cars, kids often need physical objects to form social connections-and the colorful bracelets fill that role, Kessler said. "These things provide some structure around which interactions and social behavior can occur," said Kessler, who also serves as Mundelein's mayor Joseph Ferrari, a social psychologist and professor at DePaul University in Chicago, said collecting and trading the bracelets is a great way for children to start building friendships. That can be particularly beneficial for kids who struggle with peer relationships. Parents should help their children nurture those budding, bracelet-inspired relationships by encouraging get-togethers that don't involve the bands, Ferrari said. Those experiences will help form what he called a history of friendships. "I think the insightful parent will see these as a good opportunity ... to teach them (social) skills, "said Ferrari, or Lisle. "Don't just sit back."The bracelets have potential benefits beyond friendship-building, too, psychologists say. "They can teach kids about sharing and taking care of things, and they can teach kids about money, "Kessler said. "They're a commodity."Swapping bands also can help children understand how to trade and barter, Ferrari said. And an important part of that is how to trade without fighting or losing friends. "There are a lot of great social skills kids can learn from these things, "Ferrari said. District 75 's Sementa expects some teachers will use the bracelets to motivate students. In some classes, kids earn points by doing their work or meeting behavioral goals. If they collect enough points, they can get prizes-such as Silly Bandz. "These types of things will always end up in my treasure box for kids to pick from, "Sementa said. Not every grown-up is thrilled about the bracelets, of course. Schools in New York, Florida and other states have gained media attention in recent months for blacklisting the bands. School administrators across Illinois talked quite a bit about the bracelets this summer, the Principals Association's Leahy said. Some principals have restricted their display to recess or free time, while others have banned them completely, Leahy said. And at other schools, kids can wear the bands freely. it's really a judgment call, "Leahy said.It's a constant evaluation of the school climate and culture, "he said. In carpentersville, Illinois-based Dundee Unit District 300, the bracelets are prohibited at Liberty elementary in carpentersville, Illinois and Dundee Highlands elementary in West Dundee. Dundee Highlands Principal Patty Schmidt broke the news to parents in a recent letter."We have large class sizes this school year, and anything that distracts from a positive learning environment must be addressed, "Schmidt wrote. Some Arlington Heights School District 25 students have been told not to wear the bands in class, too."It's a classroom-by-classroom decision, "said Ivy Hill elementary School Principal Kristy Csensich. But even if some Ivy Hill kids can't wear the bands in class, displaying them during recess is OK, Csensich said. Trading is frowned upon, however, because elementary-age kids aren't necessarily mature enough to understand the consequences of such deals, she said. One place the bracelets definitely don't belong is the sports field, said Steve Endsley, executive director of the Illinois Elementary School athletic Association, a statewide organization. Just like traditional metal jewelry, they aren't allowed to be worn during sporting events because of safety concerns. "If you weren't born with it, then you don't wear it during athletic competitions, "said Endsley. But even the Endsley household isn't immune to the charm of Silly Bandz. His 9-year-old son recently came home with a wrist full of the bracelets. "They are the rage, "Endsley said.