Just wondering what you guys think about this, since the average age here is beyond "kids."

It just struck me that I guess there is a possibility that all of the extracurricular activities (after-school) that kids have these days, is that creating a generation that thinks everything should be organized for them? Rather than just fend for yourself? Self-reliant, creative. When we were kids... you ever pushed a tire around with a stick? Yep.

Reason I bring this up is a girl who I play guitar for, she wanted to go home early Friday night because she said she had to get up at the crack of dawn (on her SATURDAY off) and take little Johnny to a soccer game. Had to get him up and ready and be out of town at the place at 7:30 a.m., so she had to get up real early.

I said "Wow, now, do you think they are taking this a bit too far?" The kid is like 9 years old. For a friggin soccer game. Gracious, no wonder moms are stressed out. Their whole world revolves around carting kids around here and there.

I never see kids riding bikes anymore. I can't tell you the last time I saw a kid climbing a tree. I mean, literally, it's been decades.

I don't know how it relates to music but I'll bet you could find something there. Something to talk about anyway.

Points well taken... like it or not, that's the way it is now days. How's it relate to music? In the old days, kids were more than content to spend hours on end practicing guitar to become another Eric Clapton.

I'll send you a great email about being over 30 later when I get home, but for now let me say:

I agree with you. Kids are way to structured. They have no real free time, like we had. For many, the house is empty until evening, so the child is either forced to stay in the house (for safety) or must stay elsewhere. Mom and dad aren't home until dinner time, so they need to relax before they can spend any time with the kids. Then it's too late. A structured activity (many, actualy) makes the parents feel they are offering their kids quality time.

I see it in my granddaughter, niece and nephew. It's not that the parents don't love them or anything like that; it's what life is like now.

More than anything, the two person income and the TV babysitter have molded this and previous generations. Kids today are 4 and 5 times removed from what we did in our lives. As a public school jr. high teacher for the past 33 yrs. I've seen drastic changes in parents and students at least 3 or 4 times.

Who was/is better off? Who knows; life is what it is. There are other things that concern me more than liesure activities for our kids, but that's my next book.

Dr. Cass

Another thing is the loss of playgrounds and fields where kids could gather to play informal games. These days insurance regulations and liability concerns prevent kids from gathering and playing anything unless it's supervised at a 'special use' area such as a soccer field or little league diamond.

And there is the "idle hands syndrome": with many parent working during the day the so-called "latchkey kids" were too often getting into trouble. This is a political issue now and every politician seems to want to claim to be the one with the answers, hence more taxes for more funding for extra-curricular programs.

The most astounding thing to me was listening to a freind of my wife's this past weekend talk about her 6-year old son... he is bringing home so much homework that she enrolled him in a special program that teaches him how to structure his time better so he can get more work done. At the age of 6 ? That's over the top IMHO.

I disagree with you guys and Gal...I think parents [and grandparents] have to be supportive with youngsters outside the home activities...It is importantant to them, and we should show that it is important to us..
It will build character and respect to commitments.
Today it is much easier for kids to be sidetracked into drugs etc.
Active kids do not have the time or desire to run amucked..
Support your kids and they will support their kids...A proven fact in my household..

Times have changed... I can't remember the last time I climbed a tree, let alone see someone else climb one..

Don't fault a mother that is caring for a child...we actually need more mothers[fathers] to do the same..

I have done my share of baby sitting my nieces and nephews and I have to say I agree with what has been said already.Taking them to a park to run around, play games, etc. is a treat to them,since they rarely get to go, and thats sad.
A friend I have had since we where 4 years old and his wife left their high paying jobs about 2 years ago and slimmed down their life style so the could spend more time with the kids. The kids, who where "hyper-active" and needed "counseling and ridilen", and were in special classes, are now the most well behaved and polite kids you would like to meet, and are working at their grade level with no problems. Why? I think its because the parents decided they did not need the $500,000 home and all the stuff that came with it, and that the Family came first. It might not work for everyone, but it did for them. Thats just my 2 cents worth.

Uh, maybe some people are missing the point.

Who said anything about not supporting your kids? The thread is about how much outside school activity there is, how structured everything is, how just being a kid has been diminished.

Take the kid fishing or hiking or let the kid just be a kid.

I had the happiest childhood a kid could have and I promise you we were allowed to be kids. And my parents were wonderful. But how much is too much? These kids these days, starting at little bitty farts with organized sports. The mothers are run ragged.

As for climbing trees, uh, Fran, you never enjoyed the conquest of climbing a tree? Sheesh.

The kids are either at soccer games or practice three times week from the time they can run. Or inside watching t.v. or on the computer. Which is another subject. But all of this structured stuff (that costs an arm and a leg), I think it's a very bad thing. We started organized sports so much later than kids do now. And there were fewer practices and games.

IMO, it just adds pressure. Pressure to everyone. The kids, the parents, coaches, everyone.

Actually I was a tree climber as a kid, and as an adult in the early 80's I climbed trees for a living..

Fran, I don't think you disagree with us guys and gal. You're saying much the same things as we. What is being said is that the world has changed and parents do what THEY think is good for their children. I think we agree that there is too much structure in EVERYONE'S lives, but we have halped make it that way too.

Oh, for the good old days.
Don't forget, these will be the good old days for our children and thn their children.

Peace - make it happen!

Here's a piece attributed to Bill Gates - It says it all.

To people of any age, here's some advice.


Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they
did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good,
politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept
of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.
Love him or hate him, he sure hit the nail on the head with this!


Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!


Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect
you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.


Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You
won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.


Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.


Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had
a different word for burger flipping - they called it opportunity.


Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about
your mistakes, learn from them.


Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are
now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and
listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you
save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try
delousing the closet in your own room.


Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life
HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll
give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't
bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.


Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and
very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on
your own time.


Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to
leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you can read this - Thank a teacher!

If you are reading it in English - Thank a soldier.

Have a great day!

rp