Driving through a subdivision (twice today) of approximately 200 homes today, a startling observation arose.
Although it was a little after midday, on a sunny bright Saturday, (not too cold) winter's day, in yard after yard, I did not see one child out playing.
Not one. I know for a fact there are hundreds of children in this neighborhood, as I have seen them in the summer months.
So, I am left to surmise that they are indoors absorbed in video games, on the Internet, or tethered to some electronic entertainment device.
I remember as a child staying out till I was soaked to the skin, sledding, building snow forts, playing tackle football. Then changing up after some hot chocolate and heading back out till dinnertime.
Kind of made me sad to think about the newest generation.
Not trying to ring my own bell here, but I prohibited video games in our home for the last ten years, did not allow TV's in the bedroom, nor land line phones when they were actually still viable. When my kids turned 16, I relaxed the rules, and surprisingly they didn't even pine after what they didn't have.
Instead of giving in to the "pressure" I built a full court basketball court (lighted) from scratch, cleared a 100 yard football field, and constructed a mini replica of Fenway Park with the Green Monster for my kids to play wiffle ball in. They used it all for years.
My kids are all fit and healthy and enjoy the outdoors. I also have one on a full football scholarship next year.
Fenway is gone now, the football field has gone to seed, and the hoops stand alone and unused, a sad reminder for me that my kids are grown.
But I take solace in the fact that I didn't buckle under to the mindless 110v babysitters.
