Interesting article in the Washington Post yesterday — more discussion of how kids just aren’t playing outdoors so much anymore. One of my hot-button issues. I think we ALL need to spend more time playing outside together! When my kids wake up from their nap, I think we’ll go and do just that!
P.S. My mom-in-law is in surgery right now. If you’re the praying sort, would you say a quick one for her? This is her second surgery for breast cancer this month, and we’re all a bit of a wreck as we wait for her to come out and to see the smile on the doctor’s face when he tells us they got it all. Well, the doctor will tell her husband and sons, at least. We daughters-in-law are at home with our babies, trying to get them to take the naps they so desparately need. Thanks!
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Great article! Pretty on point for my blog too. I would love to write a post about it, and link to you too of course!
Good luck to your mom-in-law (and to you with your issue). I hope all goes well for you both.
I’ll keep your MIL in my thoughts. (While outside! – ament to that!)
I’ll be thinking about your MIL (and about you, too).
I agree about time outdoors — it’s so important.
I hope everything went well with the surgery and you got that great report you were all waiting for.
Crossing my fingers for the MIL, and still anxiosuly awaiting to hear about your own results!
We played in our back yard growing up, rode bicycles, etc. but we weren’t outdoorsy types (no camping, etc.). My parents, sister and I were more likely to be inside reading, playing or doing crafts. IMHO, we turned out just fine. I think a bigger problem is the over-intellectualizing of raising children.
Been sending lots of positive thoughts for you and your MIL
Thank you. Mom-in-law is doing great. I’m doing surpisingly well for all the tests I had today (more about that later, maybe), and I’m sure we’ll all be fine eventually.
Fanny, I actually disagree with you — although reading, playing, and doing crafts are all great things, I think there’s a lot to be said for spending time outside with nature. And the intellectualizing of raising children? A natural consequence of a horde of intelligent, educated women (and men) turning their attention away from the world of work to concentrate on raising their children full-time.
And I can’t think of anything better to “intellectualize” than raising children!
Except for that whole “almost 90 by 8am” thing here in the South. Communing with nature can be some seriously sweaty business in the summer.
We try to go out in the evenings, but it gets tough when you are trying to get dinner, baths, etc.
It just seems like there’s so much more “you must do this!” “you’ll be sorry if you do that!” becuase of the media pitting Mom’s against each other. I certainly wasn’t trying to insult you – I just feel that parents, women, should listen to their hearts and instincts more and the media less. Discussion is great, it’s how we learn – I guess I just didn’t like the tone of that article (not you for bringing it to my attention). I’m just an unathletic indoor nerd…
I wrote about nature deficit disorder a couple years ago. Glad to see groups are getting behind the push to get kids outside!
[…] weeks ago, whymommy linked to a Washington Post article entitled Getting Lost in the Great Indoors. The basic point of the […]