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What is there to do? We're bored! Sound familiar? Well, in our home these are foreign words. They are words that are not allowed to be uttered in front of an adult for fear it might come back to them in the form of some dreaded weed pulling or other house work. Well, these were words I have heard a little too often this summer from friends who have frequented our house. On one such occasion, one of the little treasures proceeded to tell me she NEEEDED a Nintendo DS because she gets so bored at home.
Needed?
She explained that there's nothing to do at home and after all a person could only watch so much tv. Seriously? You're 6! How is it possible that the world is so dull to you already that you need constant stimulation? How did these children become so jaded at such a young age. When I was a kid, especially at my grandma's house, you never said you were bored or asked to watch tv. You would wind up with a rag in one hand and Pledge in the others. Oh and by the way, do not get paid for it. You can imagine that went down to child abuse? How cruel and cold the world was for my generation.
When I thought about this combination of needs and desires of six years, I remembered playing e-mail, is back for a while '. He said something to the effect of those of us in my generation, those before 1980, some of the most creative, inventive, born and adventurous people who knew the planet. Now I realize that sounds a bit 'arrogant, but I feel. Overall, my generation tend to take risks. Remember sitting on the back of pick-up to San Francisco?
This was for my mother. Remember, no seat belts? Remember, cherry fall off the climbing frame concrete tips? I guess there was some head injuries, but we were not so afraid. I grew up that way. Cal, and we would spend hours on the beach. That's when I learned to swim. We would go play for us in the water may have been my motherin water or not.
As you get older I'm sure that was hanging on the beach and swam a get a little bit ', which means that there have been times when I go into the water from me. My friends and I would go in the body surfing and get us only four or five lifeguard stations, from where we started. Can anyone tell me? As I write, I shudder to think my children swimming alone on the beach. Largely because of all the garbage and needles, they may encounter. I want themrisk takers. I want them to have a lust for life and all that this life has to offer. As it is now one of my children is cautious to a fault. Maybe he will just be a conservative little adult. One of my other children on the other hand is a certified risk taker. She's frightening really. And, as always, the verdict is still out on tiny.
I realize I want my children to take risks, and to enjoy this life that God has given them. As I pray daily for our children, one of my prayers is they would use the wisdom God has given them in order to discern whether a risk is worth it. I sit here and try to imagine what that might be. Sky diving? Base jumping? Leaving everything and becoming a missionary in the deepest darkest places of the world? Who knows.
I pray they would not be conformed to the patterns of the world around them, playing mind numbing games for hours, or watching mindless tv for longer than that. Or worse yet, sitting around saying "I'm bored!" Being bored should be illegal. I can just imagine getting a ticket for uttering those dreadful words. Eventually, the penalty may be one couldn't buy video games, or movies, or pool toys again because they have allowed themselves to have a lack of imagination. Yes you heard me, I believe pool toys create a lack of imagination. I have only heard one time kids playing Marco Polo.
Maybe it's unsafe.
You know having your eyes closed and wandering around a pool. Who knows. In any case, is food for thought, we increase Namby pamby boring people who never think beyond the box, so this makes it even more secure when more boring than the world has ever known? From self-proclaimed adventure girl, I shutter to think of such a tragedy!
