"Lost Adventures of Childhood" - presented by W5

Unfortunately I wasn't able to remember that this documentary was being broadcast on a particular night because I really wanted to view it. I went to W5's web site and read a bit of a summary of the show and saw tidbits of it on the nightly news. The show focuses on today's children, the over scheduling, the technology driven society that is being created, and at what expense.
This is a topic so close to my heart because I see a problem happening with today's kids and mine aren't exempt. I don't over schedule my boys and maybe if I wasn't feeling like a beached whale about to give birth, maybe I would have. My kids are involved in something twice a week and that is plenty for both them and us. My problem is the technology side of things. T.V, Nintendo, Wii.... yes it's sad, and I really felt like we tried as parents to fight it, but we caved and most days regret it.
Balance is the key, I know it, we all know it, but some days when you feel too tired to come up with wonderful and exciting ideas to satisfy all the, "Mom, I bored", demands T.V and Nintendo don't seem too harmful. I need more balance and more energy and I know once this little princess makes her debut things will go back to normal. (at least they better)
Today we had a warm, wonderful wet spring day. So warm in fact my youngest was outside wearing flip flops and shorts. My oldest son and his friend came home after school and made a bee line for his room to play Nintendo. The first beautiful day of Spring and these little rug rats want to stay inside... NO WAY! I told them all to go outside and figure out something to do. Within minutes a football was being thrown around, mud puddles were being splashed in and my heart swelled. This is what kids are supposed to do. Go get wet, fall in the lake situated in the middle of the driveway, just go do something physical!!
We all remember "back in our day" how we used to play. Leaving the house, bike riding all day, back by nightfall. At least that is how I grew up ,and mind you it was in a small town, but I think it's fair to say we all experienced a great deal more freedom then our kids do today.
Another point made in this documentary was how today's parents are "marinating in fear" due to school shootings, abductions, pedophiles, etc. They stated the scheduled play dates, kids having to carry GPS systems with them, or cell phones so parents can contact them whenever needed, are hindering their development. My response to that is what are we supposed to do??? These fears are real, they are apart of today's sick, twisted world and most of us would rather err on the side of caution then to have something happen.
Being a parent is like wearing your heart outside your body. You are vulnerable in a way that you weren't before you had kids. So how do we give our kids the chance to be free without potentially costing them their safety and our peace of mind? I'm still trying to figure that one out.
I have talked to many of my friends, friends whose kids are in their teens to friends who have toddlers at home and the common thread is we all want better for our kids then what the status quo is. I suppose answers will be come as problems present themselves and maybe that is all we can hope for. To meet each challenge head on and do our best to guide these little treasures until they can properly decide for themselves.

I'd do anything for these rug rats...