Let Them Be Kids
Yesterday we spent the day with Nelson's cousin and his family. They live out in the middle of the country, so to speak, with lots of space for the kids to roam.
We spent a few hours swimming and after that it was Katie-bar-the-door. Aiden drove around in the mini John Deer tractor, Mackenzie splashed in the hot tub and Dawson chased the rooster.
We managed to wrangle in the troops for some burgers before we lost them to the great outdoors again. They were shooting across the zip line, climbing the tree house and jumping on the trampoline.
They finally trickled in when we told them they just could not zip into the total darkness. The five "big" kids settled in on one double bed and quieted down to the tune of a Veggie Tales movie.
I sat in the living room with the cousin's wife talking about motherhood and children. In today's society I'm always amazed that I can still find people who think like me. We talked about letting our kids be kids. So far we have managed to escape the never ending activity schedules that most mothers have their young children on. Yes, we know that those days are fast approaching, but for now we are relishing in the simplicity of life.
Yesterday the kids got more than their fair share of exercise. They learned about the things they discovered outside. They experimented with the things they found around them. They are smart, well-adjusted, totally content children.
I imagine that Einstein grew up much in the same way. He probably was not drilled with flash cards, signed up for two sporting teams and taking piano lessons all at the same time. He probably spent his early childhood outside catching bugs and playing stick ball with the neighbors. I think he turned out okay.
Don’t get me wrong, as the kids get older, they will play on athletic teams, take music lessons and probably be drilled with flash cards. But for now they will play - and…they will play hard!
posted by Amy Parris @ 4:26 PM
3 Comments:
I'm with you. Little Brother is one of the only ones in his class who did not play T-ball this year. Two moms of first-graders told me how they sent their sons to "Hit Doctor" because "they don't know how to bat." (Um, no, 6-year-olds generally don't!) Little Brother burns plenty of energy digging in the sandbox, riding his bike, climbing the "fort" and staging sword wars with the boys from down the block.
I am not worried that he won't be a Major Leaguer, but you'd think I was committing the Mortal Sin of the Year by thinking this way.
Love your blog...and there are other mother's who think like you, although it sure doesn't seem like it! All that running around with exhausted kids who just want to play...not worth it. I've made that mistake myself a few times and learned from experience that there is time for everything...if you rush it, you will burn out fast!
Amen sisters!
Post a Comment
<< Home