What Are Your Kids Missing From Your Childhood?

As summer rolls along, I think about the summers of my childhood and what my kids are missing out on. One of the best parts of summer was being able to roam the neighborhood freely even once it started to get dark. As we got into our jr. high years we even were able to ride our bikes after dark! Sounds CRAZY doesn't it!

Life was so different then, and I so wish our kids had the freedom we had. We even had the freedom to let the wind blow through our hair as we rode our bikes. Now kids are forced to wear helmets. That was one thing I did put my foot down on. I survived childhood with no helmet, so I didn't force my kids to wear one either. I'm not the only mom in the neighborhood that did that either, so you can't call me a bad mom.

When we were really young, our moms would pack us lunches and my group of friends (I think we were about 6, 7, 8 yrs old at the time) would load them up in the wagon and we'd walk up to the park and eat in the sand under the big turtle at the playground. NO MOMS came with. We were free to eat in the sand and dirt, play on the equipment (and I'm sure we never washed our hands), and come home when we felt like it. Ah...the freedom of those days.

In fact I don't remember our moms ever being around! My mom was a stay-at-home mom so I know she was home. So were all the other moms. But they never meddled in what we were doing. We just did what we wanted, and never got in trouble. We'd go from one house to the other. Each house was known for different things. If we wanted to watch TV we'd go to Jennie's cause her mom didn't care if we watched TV. If we wanted to play Barbies, my house was the place to go. I had EVERY Barbie item imaginable, and the best basement to play hide and seek in. Fisher Price Little People we'd go to Carol's. She had the whole clan of Little People! The Eagan's had the best swing set and trampoline and their backyard had a hill in it. And of course, there was the whole street to play games in and many other yards and houses. Everyone had their own unique roll in the neighborhood. Now, for my kids, heaven forbid they step on a blade of grass on someone's lawn. Surveylance cameras watch every move they make! One kid in our neighborhood even had the cops called on him cause he danced in front of the camera just to make fun of it. Come on people! Let kids be kids!

So what are your kids missing from your own childhood in this new and crazy mixed up world of today?