Outside XP

My wife and I are constantly amazed that our children avoid going outside as often as they do. When my wife was a kid, she stayed outside because her home life was less than satisfying (to put it mildly). I, on the other hand, had a great mom. I didn't mind being home at dark. We played outside because we wanted to. I rode my bike and pretended to be a fighter or x-wing pilot (light bulb: roleplay). We played Tron with Frisbees and trash can lids (light bulb: roleplay) and a whole host of other imaginative activities, even cops and robbers, which was more like Blade Runner (light bulb: roleplay) than even the classic television detective shows our parents watched. While we had an Atari 2600, it wasn't the focus of our lives. Computers and console game systems have become so all pervasive today as a primary activity that it's hard for us to pry them loose for a while.

Does this mean that the generation of kids growing up today is more and more unlikely to know what it's actually like to be outdoors? I really think so. I have four kids upon which to base observations  (though I give my eldest son credit for loving "manual" games and my youngest for reading). I've remarked to my eldest son that he's pale and he should spend some time out of doors. His reply is a running joke we have. "But Rich, the sun...it burns."

Kids raised today are the game masters of tomorrow. How will they be able to describe terrain features or weather phenomenon without actually having experienced even an inkling of it? Unless they're heavily interested in nature shows, they'll be less and less able to describe standing in a fictional wilderness where monsters dwell. I've held lizards, frogs, toads, snakes, snails, worms and all manner of insects, even scorpions. I've caught fish and turtles and I've even been deer hunting. These too are outdoor experiences. Kids today seem more and more afraid of such things.

Maybe this is all too far a stretch, but I don't really think so. Kids are far more apt to be overweight and relatively sedentary too, since their participation in the real world often comes from television and video games. Even schools aren't helping much. I've been disappointed to observe that schools are increasingly using such things as Disney movies for educational purposes. More often than not, my wife and I will use words our kids don't know and we actually ask, "What the hell are you learning in school anyway?"

I think what's key is to strike a balance of activities, not to abolish what they enjoy. It certainly isn't to blame the makers or file McLawsuits. Even roleplaying all the time isn't good for us. However, sitting on our collective asses all day playing Mario Brothers and Starcraft (guilty) isn't either.