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I've often thought about this, and what it means for today's youth.

Growing up in Oregon, my youth was largely spent outdoors. When I was very young, and gas was cheap, my parents would take me on weekend drives to the coast, mountain or lake. During the week, I played with friends at the park, rode my bike around the neighborhood or walked home from school alone. And, I don't remember the rain being much of a deterrent. In fact, "stayin' in" was a punishment for having not done my chores.

There simply wasn't much to do inside. There wasn't much more to do outside, but that's what our imaginations were for.

My best friend and I use to go to the city park, running around the woods, playing make-believe. Inside the overgrown thicket, we played house and the ruins of an old mill site became the relics of an ancient castle where we were the princesses.

Now, I have noticed a shift from today's youth, who it seems, spend more time indoors on the computer or playing video games. I was in middle school when video game consoles first came out and the Internet didn't become available to home users until I was nearly out of high school. Of course, I always had television, but even so, there weren't half the number of stations available then that we have now.

Seeing as how Oregon has numerous state parks, generally with no or nominal day fees, it is no surprise that people take advantage of the great outdoors. Since, fresh air is free; the only reason I can think as to why children don't spend more time outside is fear.

I don't recall crime, or the fear of it, being as prevalent as it is now, but it seems to me that parents today have to worry more about leaving their children alone unattended. I rarely see young children playing without adult supervision, even though many kids have their own cell phones - something I certainly did not possess 'back then'.

For the most part, I find technology's influence on kids troubling. While there are definite benefits to be had, there needs to be a balance between the online world and the real world. Especially for kids. Nature offers us a chance to explore, not only our surroundings, but also ourselves. I feel sorry for kids who don't get to experience the kind of freedom and self-discovery that I did growing up, particularly in a state as beautiful and plentiful as Oregon.

posted 4 years ago
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