Childhood

The amount of times that I hear people saying childhood isn't how it used to be, that the world is more of a dangerous place, that children don't get to experience the fun that we remember from our own childhood.

But really is it THAT much different these days?

Yes granted there is alot more technology, the toys are far more sophisticated and readily available, in fact children have a little too many toys.

But do children no longer enjoy the things we did as children, do they no longer like to climb trees, play in streams and have simple fun?

I would argue that, in fact the world is no different, the children are no different. What is different is the adults perspective, and the fact that people don't really see what children of today actually spend time doing.

What children really enjoy doing. They are not all sat indoors hooked up to the latest gadget all of the time.

I see children out on their bikes, sitting in the park with their friends, I see young children drawing hop scotch on the pavements with chalk.

I see children happily spending hours writing their own stories and illustrating them with detailed pictures straight from the imaginations of their innocent childhood worlds.

I see children who opt to run through fields.

Children who would rather spend time jumping through a muddy marshland, enjoying nature, finding bugs and beasties and creating their own adventures away from electronic gadgets.

I see a childhood in my own children, that you know, is not that far away from the childhood I remember.

Sometimes the best way to entertain the children, is to not entertain them at all.

Let them make their own adventures without any thing else there.

You might be surprised at how much fun you will all have, by forgetting about the mess, not worring about the potential to trip, bump or scrap knees.

Not having to take along a bag of 'stuff' to entertain and occupie the young minds. Let your children run around trusting their own instincts, learning their own limits.

The world isn't really that much of a scary or dangerous place, and everyone no matter where you live can find a open bit of space somewhere, where you can enjoy the best parts of childhood - and even when you get filthy dirty, or wet, even if you get bumped knees and torn clothes. These will be the bits that in years to come hopefully our children will remember.

 Of course, with the mud, mess, cuts and grazes you will no doubt have tears and moans and fall outs.

But you know what - thats all part of childhood too!