Skip to main content

Time...

After spending 10 days in a quite Free State town, the thought of returning to the busy city has the whole family down in the dumps. I keep wondering why it is that the city is so claustraphobic and I have come to the conclusion that because of the high crime rate and the amount of people in the city, there is no way we can allow our children in the streets or just going round the corner to their friends, so the result is kids that spend most of their time indoors, watching TV or playing computer games. It cannot be healthy for them and I often think back on my upbringing on the farm which was 35km from the nearest town and our neighbours were a good 20 minutes drive away. We were never inside and permanantly ran around bare foot, come rain or shine!
I would love to give my children that kind of upbringing and because it is not possible at the moment, I try to do the next best thing - go for as many walks outside as you can, show your kids the tiniest beetle or the biggest snail you can find, interest them in things that are real instead of putting them in front of the TV, and get them to read as much as they can because without a picture in front of them they have to use their own imaginations. We medicate our kids because they are hyperactive, they don't eat properly and the are unable to entertain themselves - can we really say that we are doing the best we can for them? Shouldn't we be giving them the tools to survive instead of trying to control their every move and every thought?

My kids never seem to be looking at me when I take pictures of them and I hope its because there is something far more interesting in front of them!

Reagan - 19months

Mackenzie - 4years 11mths

Comments

  1. JustineMay 1, 2011 at 9:08 PM

    Was just reading an article about the children and outdoors this very afternoon. Have a look at these websites, they may give you more ideas as to keep the kids outside: www.naturedetectives.org.uk or www.forestschools.com
    The other thing the article said was, what they now call, Nature Deficit Disorder which leads to a rise in obesity, attention disorders and depression. (Now just think of the teenagers and early 20 somethings of today) I see these zombie like kids walking around here and sometimes I just want to smack them awake and say HEY, there is this whole world out here to experience. All their noses are seemed to be stuck into their phones or ipods. Its up to us to help change the youth of today, or it will just get worse! That said, I am so happy I can go for my walks in the clean parks of England and show my James all there is to see.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grade R!!

Mackenzie - 3 weeks old For the past 4 months, all we've been talking about is big school for Mackenzie! And finally the big day has arrived. Tomorrow she'll be getting dressed in her Eunice school uniform and starting the first day of her school career. I am of mixed emotions as I am so proud of her yet I am so sad that my baby is so big already. I remember so clearly the day she was born, it could have been yesterday. I remember looking down at her after she had been bathed and was lying all wrapped up like a little catepillar and wondering how it was possible that I had given birth to this beautiful dainty little scrap of perfection! It was true and she was mine to take home and love and cherish and prepare for the big world she will one day step into. There is a saying that says your children are only lent to you and I cant help thinking that tomorrow she will be taking another step into the unknown, the place where we hope we have given them the tools with which to sur...
2 comments
Read more

Wall Murals

I am sure every parent the world over has had to admire their childs art work on their lounge chairs, or the diningroom wall or even on an important paper that just happened to be lying around and our first reaction has been anger. Now I read somewhere that we have to give something positive and not reprimand your child because it is negative and you are breaking your child down. Then you have to explain to him/her that we only draw on paper and not on the walls! Well, I recently walked into my office to find that Reagan had very nicely scribbled a picture in black permanant marker and coloured it in with red chalk! Mackenzie had taken advantage of the fact that she could blame Reagan and added her signature to the mural! Now I ask you, how am I supposed to praise my childrens handiwork and then explain very nicely that here is a sheet of paper, please draw on that next time? It doesn't solve the problem that the wall probably has to be repainted and from what I know of both girls...
1 comment
Read more

Babies

Who of you mommies out there will ever forget that first moment of holding your first baby in your arms for the first time, or your second or your third because I don't think it becomes any less special even if it is the second or third time you've held your newborn. I will never forget the first time they put Mackenzie in my arms, I was shaking so much I was scared I was going to drop her. But after so many months of waiting to hold her it was something not easily described or easily forgotten and although she is already almost 5, I still get the same pleasure from just holding her. And it was the same with Reagan three and a half years later. Unfortunately there are many ladies who are unable to experience the joy of holding their own babies in their arms for the first time and it is these ladies to whom my post goes out tonight. There are also so many women who have babies so easily but don"t appreciate them or neglect them and I often wonder at the unfairness of that. ...
Post a Comment
Read more