Talking in Parenthesis

Ramblings and angst from a mostly stay at home mom

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us. It is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. -Nelson Mandela

Monday, July 18, 2005

Growing Up

This morning made me realize yet one more thing that is different when you are "grown-up". Summer. For kids, my kids, summer is magical. I time to be look forward to, counted down to, even dreamed about. It is filled with going to the pool, staying up and generally having a good time. For me, while I enjoy the times with the kids, it is just another day to me. The same if not more work. The pool, while fun, means, finding all the goggles, towels, putting on sunscreen herding everyone out the door.

We have now entered the downside of summer for the kids, one month of summer break left. And for me I am excited, happy to regain my routine come fall. But as excited as I am to have them go back to school, I am not one of those people that wants to do away with summer break. I think that the unstructured time, the pure fun is a vital part of childhood. Too many kids are missing out on this. My kids are have friends that have every minute of their lives filled with lessons, play-dates and camps. Now my kids have activities, baseball, karate, various clubs, but they also have time just to be kids. Just time to play, pure play, not the educational, have to make something play. But the type where you run and scream with your friends. Or once you get older as my 14 year old is, hang out. At the risk of sounding like an old geezer now, kids today do not have the imagination that they once did. And without that imagination who is going to be our next astronauts, designers, inventors, theoretical anything? I think in the pursuit of making our kids better, we are actually hindering an important part of their development. Sad really

Posted by Megan : 9:58 AM :