I read an article the other day where parents are trying to schedule outdoor time for their children. That's right, schedule time outside - to of all things, play!
As I read, I closed my eyes on computers, I Phones, I Pads, TVs and I was hiking down through the corn fields to the edge of the languid Conestoga, or climbing the willow tree whose forked branches made comfortable notches to view the summer day, or biking down the dog-less country roads, or rounding up the usual suspects for a rousing hide-and-seek game come twilight, or playing baseball, tennis, badminton, croquet - or just hanging out, plucking buttercups and whistling through grass stalks!
And mind you, no play dates arrangements were required.
Not only do I think the lack of outdoor activity is amazing, but the spontaneous individual effort to create. We are producing very smart technically oriented kids, but what about that whole internal muscle of private initiative, space and time?
I wouldn't trade my unfettered country childhood for fame or fortune of any degree.
The wealth is internal and endless.
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