Originally Posted by MissAnn:
Yes...the outside thing......every year the kids are more and more afraid of bugs. Every year the kids are more and more afraid of bugs. another thing, every summer I have a mud day. A few years ago the kids were almost swimming in the mud. They were muddy from head to toe and had a blast. Every year it seems like they are more and more reluctant. The kids I had this year we're not around for last year's mud day. I showed them pictures and they were downright horrified and some said they don't want to come on that day! It just makes me so sad that kid so disconnected from outdoors and nature.
It's because they have a negative association with it because their parents yell at them to not get dirty. I see it soooo much nowadays. Honestly the poor kids these days do everything under strict scrutiny of their parents. Do this, not that, stop it, play with this. I went camping with a friend and she was constantly telling her son what to do. "Go get a leaf for that bug, not that leaf, this leaf. Now cover it like a bed...thats right. Good job bud"
meanwhile my daughter was running around shirtless with a stick and she was full of mud!
I took my kids down to the creek last summer and there was a lot of mud. My husband couldn't stand it!! He was so beside himself because they were getting full of mud. I had to explain why this was so important for them. I already felt guilty that they had to be with their parents instead of exploring on their own like I did as a kid so I sure wasn't going to stop them from playing and getting dirty for his sake!