No Kidding

I have been quiet long enough. Living in California for 6 years really confirmed my fear that our children are missing their childhood. And it seems to be spreading to other parts of the country. Kids are being pushed into everything and everything, packing their schedules from morning to night with activities. I see it all the time...the kids being woken at the crack of dawn and getting home late into the evening, grabbing dinner along the way, usually junk. This is all in the name of love??? Hogwash says I.

What happened to FREE time?? What happened to watching the clouds form and make shapes? What happened to being home and finding creative things to do that require imagination? I am shocked and saddened when I hear some parents say, "I would be afraid that they would get in trouble with the extra time." YIKES! That is why they have parents! But apparently, parents want to farm off that responsibility to soccer coaches, band leaders and activity leaders. Sigh. Kids need rest. Kids need time to be kids. We have the rest of our lives to have packed schedules with no buffer zone. Why set them up for heart attacks by the age of 21??

Let's not allow another generation of kids be ill-equipped or worse yet, just ill.