What has happened to the children

When I was a kid I remember summer vacation as a time I could grow, explore, and live with wild abandon. I remember that I would take off in the morning, hang out with my friends, and be gone all day. I would play baseball, basketball, and any other made up game however stupid it seems now. There was no end or limits to the crazy things we would do. My bike was my rocket and my room was the space station. My job as I saw it was to space walk all day, every day. I didn't have a computer, I had no DVD players, and I certainly didn't have a cell phone or any other way to contact my mother. There was just a certain understanding that I would take care of myself; and since we knew everyone in in the neighborhood, there was no worry really. It was expected that I would be home at dinner, that I not cause too much trouble (which means not cause any of the neighbors to call mom), and that I say thank you to those who fed me. I actually wonder now if all the children were eating at other people's houses, whose houses were they at. Anyway, I digress.

The point is that things appear to have changed. Sure we are more technologically advanced. Every house has a computer and I for one can't even begin to imagine living without one. Every home has a cell phone or two or three or four. There is never a time that we're not connected, no matter our age, it appears. Everyone appears to have a DVD player and access to instant movies and TV whether by television or computer. We no longer have to wait for anything and the mere suggestion that one does instills disgust and fear.

The reason I mention all this is that my almost 6 year old daughter is of the new generation. She is able to surf the web, never mind the fact she can't read. She is able to use the phone to call her friends and when told she has to be patient for me to help her she finds this more difficult then it would be for her complete a marathon by walking backwards, uphill and in the dark with one shoe. Let's just say she has learned that in today's society there is no reason to wait: can't get to the movie store to rent a movie, no worries just turn on netflix. Can't wait to play Webkinz, no worry just use the game boy. Can't wait to here an answer from mom or dad, no worry just call someone else's mom or dad. What I'm saying is that she has learned that the best things in life are either on the computer or TV and that those things needn't be things for which she waits.

To be fair, she loves playing with her friends. She loves playing with her neighbor more then anything (perhaps more then ice cream), but if this doesn't happen (which is the case at times) she is at a total loss for what to do. But this is not all her fault. The title of this blog is about the children, not just my daughter. I no longer see herds of children roaming the streets nor do I see children going anywhere besides their own backyard. There seems to be a fear of others that has developed. This fear, which is actually unsubstantiated as there are no more abductions now then there was when I was kid only we hear about each one right when it happens, now keeps us glued to our children and them glued to the house or yard. I'm no different. I watch Mia like a mama bear watches her cubs. God forbid Mia step out the front door without a stern talking to about how she can't go any farther then the first step unless she has Dixie with her and then it's only to the second step.

But are we doing our children any favors? I mean really how is this helping? Our children no longer play outside (of course we could blame it on the fear of uva/uvb rays; or blame it on the fear of those men trolling the streets for children to abduct; or we could blame it on aliens who have landed in my neighbors backyard looking to study little red heads). The down side of this is that our children no longer get exercise, have increased risk of type II diabetes (which used to be called adult onset diabetes), and have no idea how to care for themselves. Our children have become so home bound because of OUR fear that they are now scared of everything around them.

So, what can we do? Or namely what can I do? I suppose I can't let my daughter go out like I used to. I mean, what would the neighbors say? I guess I could just tie Dixie to her and hope that my little dog, who generally just likes to roll over and be pet, protects her. Or what I can do is start to address my own fear and let her have some of the same freedoms I had. My childhood, for the most part, at least summer vacations, was wonderful. It was a time filled with great memories - this is saying something as I can't remember most of that time. I want the same for my daughter. I want her to look forward to everyday and be excited about the endless possibilities - to be able to explore, imagine, play and be a kid. I say let her get dirty. Who knows what life will bring for her, but wouldn't it be nice if at least she could wake up in the morning and go for a space walk . . .