On Sunday October 8th I will turn 38 years old. Ugh.
But as this day approaches (To rapidly I may add)I can't help but think of how different life was from when I was growing up. And how I am overly protective of my children now because of that change.
I grew up on Long Island. In the harbor town of Northport. Back then at 8 yrs of age I could leave my house at sunrise, walk down to the docks (by myself) and spend all day fishing until sunset.
We could stay up until 9 or 10 on weekends so the kids on my street would play kick the can or flashlight tag or freeze tag. Games that my children may never know. Sure they know tag, but the PC movement is successfully making schools crack down on this game. And any game that may induce fun for our children.
No one was worried about predators. Everyone new everyone and we could leave our doors unlocked. As I grow older I am more fearful now than I ever was. Not that something horrible will happen to me. But that society is changing so quickly that children are no longer being allowed to BE children.
Sports where everyone wins. How do they learn to overcome? How do they learn to improve when we don't have a winner and a loser. Some people say that if kids lose it gives them low self esteem...
This is PC Bullshit!! If people are worried about their children having low self esteem just for losing a friggin soccer, football, or baseball game..Maybe the parenting skills of these folks put too much EMPHASIS on the ISSUE of losing. And not explaining that practice means improvement. Teamwork. Efforts of many can achieve a greater goal...It's OK to lose. It makes us stronger.
People are afraid to fail...Yet it's ok to bash someone who does. We are such hypocrits.
Ok...I am rambling here... In short...
Let the kids play. Let them win. Let them lose. But Let Thier Play Matter!!! I feel that if parents and society try and take dissapointment away from the children of today, the children of today will not know how to face it when it occurs later in life.
Back to my original post... Times are definately different now then when I was my daughters age. And that is truly sad.
