...butts outta the house and make them play outside. I'm serious. I drive through my neighborhood and the kids are always inside playing video games, eating candy bars, and becoming obsessed with Facebook or MySpace. I remember back in the days when we played outside. You could drive through the neighborhood and see the kids in their yards, or riding bikes, or at the park. Man, seems as if those days are long gone.

Yup, they are Goof! I know I haven't been able to get my son off the computer this summer. He's gonna be in for a rude awakening when school starts in a couple of weeks. It's a different world for kids now. Was ours better? Maybe in a lot of ways but just because their world is different, doesn't necessarily mean it's all bad either. At least so I try to tell myself.

I kick him outside and he goes over to the neighbors and does the same thing. I give my son an exception since he does actually play sports unlike most of the other kids in the neighborhood.

I agree...I took my son to the playground this summer to play and meet other kids his age...however there were never any kids there.Things are so different now...

Wish I could Goof, but I live in the big bad city in an apartment. He is very active when he is inside. But if you live in a decent neighborhood where they have fences yards etc... then yes I agree that children should be outside playing.

Unstructured active outdoor play enriches the mind more than other educational activities.

My kids are already out the door, they have to help me garden today, they whine about it but a little outdoors is good for the soul.

Hey now, there are some of us parents (me being one of them) that has restrictions on the video games and computer. And to tell you the truth, all of the video games, electronic games, and stuff like that was a waste of money for me cause she doesn't even bother to play with them much. Maybe once a week if that. Most of the time you can find her playing outside with her friends or me and the other parents play games with them as well. Its fun teaching them all the games we played as kids. Brings back alot of good memories and they have just as much fun playing them as we did when we were kids.

I wish that were possible, but when it gets in the high 90's and more, plus the pollution alert is high, it's safer for the children to be indoors. Even at school, if the temps are high and/or there is an orange or red pollution day, they don't get to go out. But, my kid goes to the skating rink or Jump Town every Friday night and has a blast while exercising.

Indeed it is. And, I'm sorry, but during the Summer, I was always outside. Might have come inside when it got real hot, but in the morning and late afternoon times, I was outside. And my Mom never had to make me. It seems nowadays that parents have to make their kids go outside. That's sad.

And what is even more sad is the fact that kids today don't have the freedom we did because of everday danger lurking about

My girls started back to school last week. They stayed outside all summer, even on the hottest days. Even when it's raining, you'll most likely find my girls outside, unless it's lightening. Our town is small, everyone knows everyone. My rule is, they can go up the street two houses, without running in and telling me. If they go beyond that, they have to come in and let me know where they are going. Around here, the kids still get together and ride bikes, go walking, meet at the park, or get up a kick ball game in someone's back yard. My girls are also very active in community sports, as are most of the kids around here. As far as computers and video games... my girls are limited to one hour per day. And past that, they are allowed 30 minutes of tv per day, Monday - Friday and 2 hrs on weekends (but it's rarely on).

how do you know where the kids live

and how do you know what they are doing inside their homes???

True. Tina talked about her neighborhood she lives in, and I totally agree that you have to keep your kids safe. I dunno. I just remember how much fun I had as a kid playing outside. I had Atari and Nintendo back then, but I always went outside and played. You just don't see that alot anymore.

everyday danger ?????


you mean Life?


statistically our children are as safe as in past generations.....there is just more media coverage...

In this small town, I'm not exagerating when I say everyone knows everyone. And if someone new moves in, we introduce ourselves and invite them to join in activities with the kids. As far as what they are doing in the other homes, that's not a concern because, like I said, ALL the kids are outside playing. They just take turns of whose yard it's in.

Yeah. The media sucks. Everytime a kid is snatched, it is on CNN,FOXNEWS and MSNBC. But at the same time, I know that there are Internet crime units who monitor sexual predators trying to picks up kids. Used to be real bad on MySpace.

And this may be in your part of the world. But as a child, I remember walking to the grocery for my mom, way past dark, never worrying about some creep jumping into my path and taking me away, we never locked our door, day or night and never worried that we may walk into a store and find a robbery in progress.

It is 9 am here and my two boys have been outside for a hour and a half. I have to force them to come in and eat. They have a x-box and cable and computers. Bikes are alot more fun.
Now I am headed outside to mow.

I agree
Mine are very active in sports and are always on the go

SO very glad I live in the country!
There is just SO much exploring to do here for my daughter!
Ride horses, feed horses, fishin, goin to the creek to swim....So much to do here.
My daughter is 6 and has no clue what a play station is.
She is only allowed one hour of t.v. a day. Thats KET .......