On a neighborhood mid-morning walk, it dawned on me that other than cheery birds carrying on, it was all too quiet. Normally, I would appreciate the stillness. Time to refresh and reflect.
But on that day, I just got sad. Where were the sounds of children playing in their back yards?
I suppose in part that's why my two hours at my daughter's house that afternoon was so special--their back yard was alive with kid activity (with neighbor kids included)! Bikes flying over homemade ramps. A game of HORSE. "I Spy" while swinging in hammocks. One child's intrigue with the black accordion drain pipe led to three more investigating. The thrill of discovering that pipe attached to the gutter, then following the pipe buried underground to its outlet in the yard. A cup of chai on the stone ledge while chatting with my daughter.
The rest of the block was quiet.
Parents afraid to let kids outside?
Kids in front of computer or cell phone screens?
Kids in daycare?
Guess I am getting old (along with neighbor friends, I spent the entire summer with screen door slapping, I'm sure to my mother's chagrin), but oh, the happy banter, even the unhappy banter, of childhood play. A shared activity, a shared conflict. Learning to team create (great stuff out of castoffs, rocks, sand, bushes), relate, to resolve problems, to move on.
And at the end of the day, to fall into bed richly exhausted with the moon peeking in through a starlit window.
As I drove home, I basked in the memory of the simple pleasures playing outside with kids provides. It took me back to my childhood.
That night as I tucked the sheet under my chin, I smiled at the moon shining through my window and fell into a deep sleep.
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What do you think, Readers?
Are kids today missing out?
Are today's techy kids at an advantage?
Leave a comment below.
