Sunday, March 3, 2013

 
I was recently given a bunch of toys for the kids. Among them were the original G.I Joe action figures. I was tempted to tuck them away and selfishly keep them for myself. When I was little I was a tomboy, watched the cartoons, collected the toys, and mine might just still be found where they'd been buried many years ago. When I was little they used to sell "Black Cat" firecrackers on the ice cream trucks. Which I would than pretend were dynamite. Most of my collection ended up a casualty of war. I still remember countless hours of digging trenches, using sticks and what I could pick off near by plants to create my own little world. Even a wandering bug can soon play a part unwittingly.
 
The stores need to start selling more toys like these. When we looked we were disappointed by the poor selection. Most were cheaply made or over priced for what you actually get. And we'd checked at most local stores from the WalMart and Target to Toys R Us.  It would be nice to find more action figures with bendable elbows and knees, not just a stiff leg and arm movement.

 
Today's world looks nothing like the one I grew up in. Between fear of strangers and what might happen (medically, emotionally, mentally, etc) I think they lack a core piece of childhood. And those not on the Megan's List are what you need to worry about. Living in a condensed living and working space makes it even harder to weed through who is trust worthy and who isn't. I'm currently reading "Life Code" by Dr. Phil McGraw, which has yet to teach anything I haven't already learned the hard way (still a great guide for others).
 
Children need to be able to play in the dirt, walk in nature, and have actual imaginations! We try not to push our children too much. I watch as other parents over schedule their children and usually based on their own social standing. I can't imagine forcing my son to play a sport or take an art class so we can chat in the stands ("Raising Hope" showed what we think and feel recently). We keep in tune with the kids likes and dislikes and find things they'll enjoy learning. I just wish they had more classes for children (beyond finger painting or jump house businesses). I think children would enjoy more intellectual classes, to learn how to cook, science (beyond Legos), and things that build up the child. We chose to have children; we sacrifice (time, money, sanity), and invest back into our children.

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