It amazes me

[azsnowman]

I've been with Pinetop PD now for 6 months and it's hard to believe just how MUCH times have changed. The biggest thing I've noticed this summer is the LACK of kids PLAYING outside?? I talked with my partner the other day and he didn't think about it but it's BIZZARE!! Is it computers, video games, gameboys that's responsible for keeping kids inside, gaining weight?? My God, when I was growing up, I NEVER spent that much time inside, I was building forts, riding bikes, fishing, playing with the neighborhood kids OUTSIDE.......NOT sitting INSIDE!! My......how times they have changed

Dennis

[sunny]

My mom used to pull us inside kicking and screaming. We were always outside playing kick-the-can, football, baseball, SOMETHING.

[Cookiely]

I can remember my mother kicking us out of the house. Just joking. I remember playing in a teepee my grandfather built for us. I remember many summers playing hop scotch until it got dark. But when I was a child we only had TV for a couple of hours. We knew how to entertain ourselves. Children now are either glued to the tube or the computer. They might like the occ. movie but have no idea how to play and use their imagination. Goodness my hula hoop kept me entertained for several years. I loved those bolo paddles, I used to be able to hit it two hundred times. Mud pies and dancing in the water sprinkler. We used to get in our bathing suits and eat mangos and then my mama would wash us down with the hose. All the little girls played Jacks, and the boys had their marbles. Tether ball was great.

[Swimdude]

Thank goodness, i'm one of the exceptions to this new youthful trend. My younger brother [age 13] sits in front of the television, watching mindless daytime television and playing video games. For SEVEN HOURS. I tried explaining to him, just this evening actually, how pointless this is, and why he should get out of the house. When I finished my small rant, he retorted, "Well, what do you do that's so great?"

Me? Well, I swam laps for exercise both this morning and yesterday morning. I went to lunch with a friend yesterday, and went back to her house afterwards to hang out. Oh yes, played tennis with another friend later yesterday evening. I mowed the lawn today. Rode my bike some... And of course I spent some time on the computer --- but at least i'm socializing with my friends!

What did he have to say to that? "When did you go play tennis yesterday?"

My answer? "You didn't notice. You were on the television when I left, and when I came back."

Thank goodness he's off to summer camp for two weeks. It's awful watching him waste away his life like a vegetable on the couch. He doesn't even socialize. Hopefully camp will improve him. Anyway, back to my point. I completely agree. Too much technology IS a bad thing. There's so many better things we could be focusing on rather than coming out with the Playstation3. You know, like other sources of energy for cars?

Whew, rant over.

[JenBayles]

I've noticed the same thing for several years now. I couldn't imagine staying cooped up in the house when I was a kid. We were all over the neighborhood and the only requirement from mom was that we had to be home for lunch and supper, on time, or ELSE.

[weathermom]

I think part of the problem is that most of the kids have parents that work. The kids are at day camp, sports camp, science camp, computer camp (read daycare),or not allowed outside until mom or dad come home. There just aren't that many moms at home anymore.

[Pburgh]

PC, TV and AC - the downfall of the childhood imagination: Too busy chatting with people they may never meet, too busy watching someone else's adventures and too cool to go out in the heat of the day.

[Guest]

Dennis, at least having the kids inside makes your job slightly more easier. (Maybe???)

But, yeah, I have noticed since the mid 90s (even myself) spending more time inside.

[Miss Mary]

See my favorite childhood memory thread Dennis. I remember playing outside in good wx all the time. Heck, even in winter. Our moms were always bundling us up, saying go outside and get some color (ie rosy cheeks).

Edit....I think b/c most mothers stayed home back then, they wanted some peace and quiet too, and encouraged play outside. Out of their hair (heard that phrase a lot).

I remember kick-the-can Sunny - loved that game!!!

Mary

[MGC]

Yes, I beleive it is all those high tech toys they have. I grew up in the big city, New Orleans East. I had 4 TV channels to watch on our B&W TV. Didn't have cable TV, no satellite TV, no computer, no cell phone. I would not trade my childhood for one today for nothing......MGC