Naptime Blog

When I was a little kid in the 1970s, we lived in a teeny tiny town. There were only several hundred people in our community. It was a different time and place and we’d
run and play outside from morning until night. We’d ride our bikes to elementary school a couple of blocks away from our home (these were country blocks… about 10 of them would make up a city block these days). Our parents worried more about us falling out of a tree or wrecking our bikes than about us getting abducted by a stranger.
These days that’s not the case anymore. Parents have become hyper-vigilant (and rightfully so) about keeping an eye on their children when they are outside. It’s sad
in a way that the world has to be like that. These days, many activities are indoors (gymnastics, dance, karate) and I wonder if children sometimes miss out on some
of the things I experienced as a child… roly polys in the yard, climbing trees, riding bikes on winding trails and experiencing that carefree childhood. Of course, I was
a good bit older than my children are when I was allowed to run and play freely.

This past weekend, I watched my two children and their very different personalities emerge. We went in the backyard and the boys played and played. My three year old
spent most of his time in the sandbox, scooping up sand and raining it on his head. He enjoyed running his small fingers through the dirt, rolling his cars over sand mountains
and giggling at his brother. My two year old ran constantly. He ran from one side of the yard to the other side of the yard. He ran up slides and slid down slides. He dug his
hands in the mud and squealed past me as I tried to catch him. He would stop only long enough to take a few long drinks of the ice water I had prepared for him. He picked up
bugs and giggled at the hopping frogs. He chased the dogs and grabbed onto their tails.

He enjoyed being a boy, being free (as free as you can be in a fenced in backyard).

It was bliss (for all involved).

Shannon
Potamus Prefers

http://www.potamusprefers.com/