Short & Curly ABC listen

This season we go on a little adventure in our minds. Join Molly, Carl and Matt as we imagine what the world might be like without things like schools and sadness and punishment. Would everything be better without them?

Imagine if something private you told a friend could be shouted out for the whole world to hear? Or if an embarrassing bodily function was shared with everyone? Some people say privacy is only necessary if you have something to hide, but are there other reasons to keep certain things just for yourself?

Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria, Vinugo and Sienna.

We often feel sadness and heartbreak when something bad happens, like when a much-loved pet dies or someone at school doesn't want to be friends anymore. Or even when your sports team loses the grand final after you've trained really hard for it. Would life be better if you could magically make that sadness disappear?

Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria, Vinugo and Sienna.

What's the point of school anyway? That's a question lots of you have written to us to ask. Nearly every day of the week for years and years and years, you have to get up, put your uniform on and go to a big building full of other children, just so you can learn stuff. And then once you're in the school building, grownups get to decide when you're allowed to eat your lunch and when you're allowed to play. It's tiring and sometimes boring. So should we just get rid of schools?

Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria, Vinugo and Sienna.

What if there was no fine for letting your dog poo on the footpath? No consequences for hitting your brother or sister? And teachers never gave detention for breaking a school rule? If we lived in a world without punishment, would we all start just doing whatever we wanted? Or are there better ways to deal with people doing the wrong thing? 

Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Mara, Roni, Alana, Isaac and Adele.   

Would you still want to play sport if there was no one keeping score, there were no winners or losers, and no trophies at the end of the season? What would be the point? On the other hand, can competition actually ruin sport? Come and spend the afternoon with Molly and Carl as they kick the ball around in a park.

Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Mara, Roni, Alana, Isaac and Adele.