What is it about being outside that repels kids these days? I mean (and sorry to sound like an old woman here...BUT) When *I* was a kid, I LIVED outside! I remember meeting my friends at the field between our houses, and just playing. We’d build forts, catch frogs, play (my personal favourite) Little House on the Prairie (I was always Laura, by the way)! We’d only go home when we were hungry, or when it was too dark to see!

So, I’m constantly surprised when my own kids don’t seem to want to do the same thing! I feel like I’m continuously pushing them out the door, with them digging in their heels and sliding across the kitchen floor! And when I do, finally manage to get them outside, it’s only a matter of time before the door opens a crack and I hear, “Can we come in now?”

And it’s not as though my guys are used to just sitting in front of the screen all day either. We only watch TV just before bedtime. So, I can’t even shrug my shoulders and say, “Well, really they love their virtual world more than the real one!” 

I’m actually relieved when I talk to other parents to hear that they are going through the same thing with their own kids! At least mine aren’t the only ones! Gone are the days of spontaneous playing with your friends, where you just opened your door, and played with whoever was around! Now, we seem to be stuck in this mode of “organized playdates”. The parents (and I’m guilty of this myself) are in charge of picking up the phone and arranging the time and place. It’s just become so ‘normal’ now that I just recently realized that the freedoms we enjoyed as children are non-existent with our own. 

This thought made me sad. Now, I know the reasons behind it all are because we are all terrified that “something” might happen to our kids. There’s been too many kidnappings, too many freak accidents, too many horrific events that make us recoil and cling our children even closer to us. But at the end of the day, I have to ask myself - are we doing our kids any favours by doing this? 

I don’t want my boys to be frightened of adventure. I don’t want them to feel that you are only ‘safe’ at home. How are they to grow intellectually, and gain appreciation for discovering new things? 

So, last week I decided it was high time my 9 year old got some of the freedom I had when I was young. I gave him some money and told him to go to the store to bring home some popsicles. The store is at the far end of our street, and out of sight from the house. He was thrilled! But it really was more of an exercise of letting go for me rather than for him and for me to trust that, yes, everything is going to be okay. He came home 25 minutes later, laden with popsicles and a pocket-full of change. He proudly told me all about how he ‘shopped around’ to make sure he got the best price (clearly he’s learned a few things from his mother!).

So, I'm forced to ask myself: "who's fault is it that my kids hate going outside?" I'm not too happy with the answer. So, even though I haven't manage to throw off completely the "organized playdate monster" (old habits die hard), I'm AM making an effort to ignore their protests and shove them outside more and just let them be. Who knows what adventures they'll come up with when they discover the freedoms that come with exploring?