When I was a kid we left home in the morning and played in the neighborhood until dinner.  Then in the summer we went back out to play steal the flag until bedtime.  We built forts, pranced through  the woods, marched through the creeks, played cards, kickball, hide and seek and any number of other games.  It sounds cliche to compare the upbringing of children way back in our time to the upbringing of the current generation. The methods are not even close.  I know things have changed and that it is not realistic to raise children the same as we did in the 50s, but they should have some opportunity for freedom.   Read the rest of this entry →