Spencer & Jake playing
Kids are by nature active, creative and curious. As moms we need to let those characteristics grow and not stunt them with constant worry about injuries. We shouldn’t let them play with matches or run in thunder storms however, we should give them room to breathe and explore and create. It’s much easier to put them in front of a video game or a TV because we know where they are, what they are doing and that they are safe inside our homes. However, these things will, in my opinion, stunt their creative thought process, their physical activity and their love to discover.
We as parents have the privilege and responsibility to place our children into different environments. It is up to us to let them play outside in a creek where they will get dirty and most likely pick up frogs and bugs or to keep them clean in the living room looking at a box for hours. There have been many recent studies completed about childhood obesity and one of the causes is children watching too much TV and playing too many video games.
Children need to be lead to the backyard, to the creeks, to the parks and the playgrounds of our little corners of the world. They can’t drive so we must take them there. Let them play and be children. Let them discover nature, dirt, bugs, and how to climb a tree. If we don’t encourage it and make it happen our children will stop testing the waters and pushing the limits on their imagination and creativity. Can you imagine not having the memories of your childhood playing outside? Let’s give those memories to our children and we will give them boundless opportunities for growth.
