I grew up playing outside. My mom was so good about keeping us busy. We rode our bikes, swam in a blow up pool, slid on 'slip-n-slides', had a sand box, swung on our swing set, knocked on our neighbors' doors to ask if they could play, jumped on a trampoline, and ran through sprinklers.
I will always strive to give my children the childhood my parents gave me.
Back when my parents were raising me and my siblings, there was something raw and honest about their parenting style. There was no Facebook or Instagram. No Blogs. No one to compete with. Just real life parenting. My dad worked a lot, but my mom was home with us. There were eight of us total. I don't remember her being busy with anything else, she just played with us. I know she found time to clean, make dinner, grocery shop, etc. But I never remember her being bothered by any of us. She was never 'too busy' to stop what she was doing and sit with us on the floor to pretend play with some horses, or dolls.
We painted on the kitchen floor, on a big piece of crate paper.
We were outside in the sandbox, we never had to 'ask' to go outside. We just went in and out.
We would run across the street to the neighbors house or adventure down the block to see if more friends could play.
We would gather as many friends as we could and play street soccer, or hockey.
We would invite our friends to our birthday parties by word of mouth, and tell them to come in their bathing suits.
We had a swing set. We would swing for hours!
I know we watched T.V. because I can literally recite every major old school Disney movie to this day. But most of my childhood memories, the great memories, have a bright sunshine to them. Because we were outside!
What happened to that kind of parenting? Why is it so hard for me to keep my kids busy with activities? Why are my kids always so bored all the time? Why can't I parent the way my mom did?
I don't have the answers. Just thinking out loud.
I have been working on being more candid about my parenting. Being more spontaneous and saying yes more. Not saying yes as to 'spoil' my kids. But to say yes to the things they want to do. And what they really want to do is be outside. All the time. We don't have a great backyard space. And our front yard is uneven and the grass we have is not the soft kind. But the kids don't care.
When they get time outside. They have a blast using their imaginations to pick leaves off of bushes and build fairy houses with sticks and cardboard they find in the garage. They ride their bikes, and play cops and robbers. They knock on their neighbors' doors to ask if they can come play. They play tag, Hide n Seek, Hopscotch, four square...the list goes on.
I am coming to realize that kids don't need the perfect yard or the newest bikes to have a fun outside experience. They just need that outside time. To use their imaginations. To build character.
and to use their outside voices!
Below you will find a few shots of my kiddos in action in our front yard and cul-de-sac
I'd love to hear about your childhood experience. And why you think raising kids now-a-days is so different.