Comments on: Watch Out Mother Nature, Here Come the Soccer Moms, and Boy are They a Bitchy Group http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/ Celebrating the Joys of Parenting and Childhood Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:57:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Ten Reasons I’m Not a Soccer Mom » Teeny Manolo http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-10113 Ten Reasons I’m Not a Soccer Mom » Teeny Manolo Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:18:41 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-10113 [...] The other day I categorized myself as a “soccer mom.” [...] […] The other day I categorized myself as a “soccer mom.” […]

]]> By: The Manolo Week in Review » Manolo's Shoe Blog http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9922 The Manolo Week in Review » Manolo's Shoe Blog Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:52:57 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9922 [...] Glinda… There is all this hand-wringing about how computers and video games are ruining our kids, but my son loves nothing more than playing in the mud. I wish I was kidding. [...] […] Glinda… There is all this hand-wringing about how computers and video games are ruining our kids, but my son loves nothing more than playing in the mud. I wish I was kidding. […]

]]> By: raincoaster http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9707 raincoaster Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:25:55 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9707 The UK is spending £225million on "play strategy." Their number one weapon? New playgrounds. Sounds silly until you realize there are entire towns were playing outdoors with a ball is outlawed. I was so lucky when I was a child to live near the woods and be allowed to play in them unsupervised. I don't remember the interior of my first school, but I do remember the pond we had there, and the day the pelican escaped from the zoo and perched on the fence. With kids as old as fourteen not allowed out of their parents' sight, what you have is kids who've only grown up in environments that 40-year-olds find comfortable. This is not a good thing. The UK is spending £225million on “play strategy.” Their number one weapon? New playgrounds. Sounds silly until you realize there are entire towns were playing outdoors with a ball is outlawed.

I was so lucky when I was a child to live near the woods and be allowed to play in them unsupervised. I don’t remember the interior of my first school, but I do remember the pond we had there, and the day the pelican escaped from the zoo and perched on the fence. With kids as old as fourteen not allowed out of their parents’ sight, what you have is kids who’ve only grown up in environments that 40-year-olds find comfortable. This is not a good thing.

]]> By: Glinda http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9702 Glinda Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:51:57 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9702 Marvel, that's a great article and map. The other day, my Dad was telling me exactly the same thing, that he could wander all around. And was in fact encouraged to wander everywhere by himself. Ana, if you can't let a kid get dirty, then something is wrong, right? ;) dgm, I'm surprised to hear that. I wonder if it is because I have a more faux-woodsy feel where I live. Marvel, that’s a great article and map. The other day, my Dad was telling me exactly the same thing, that he could wander all around. And was in fact encouraged to wander everywhere by himself.

Ana, if you can’t let a kid get dirty, then something is wrong, right? ;)

dgm, I’m surprised to hear that. I wonder if it is because I have a more faux-woodsy feel where I live.

]]> By: marvel http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9700 marvel Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:56:17 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9700 I think the structure of cities and suburbs makes it more difficult for kids to get out into nature. Also children are supervised a lot more because parents feel it's unsafe to let them be unsupervised (not without reason.) There was a great article with accompanying map about this in the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=462091&in_page_id=1770 I agree with Glinda that all children love to be outside. I think it does take a lot more effort on parents' parts to ensure they can be outside. I certainly wouldn't let my daughter walk to her favorite fishing spot 6 miles from home unsupervised!!!! I'd get written up for child neglect. But there were times and places when and where that was okay (see article linked). I think the structure of cities and suburbs makes it more difficult for kids to get out into nature. Also children are supervised a lot more because parents feel it’s unsafe to let them be unsupervised (not without reason.) There was a great article with accompanying map about this in the Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=462091&in_page_id=1770

I agree with Glinda that all children love to be outside. I think it does take a lot more effort on parents’ parts to ensure they can be outside. I certainly wouldn’t let my daughter walk to her favorite fishing spot 6 miles from home unsupervised!!!! I’d get written up for child neglect. But there were times and places when and where that was okay (see article linked).

]]> By: Ana http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9697 Ana Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:55:33 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9697 Correction to the first sentence: What I meant was "I agree with you that kids have an innate appreciation of nature". lol! Mommy brain over here! Correction to the first sentence: What I meant was “I agree with you that kids have an innate appreciation of nature”. lol! Mommy brain over here!

]]> By: Ana http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9696 Ana Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:54:09 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9696 I agree with you that kids of an innate appreciation with kids. Unfortunately, I have met some metro-mamas that seemed to make an effort to beat that inner desire out of their kids. I took my son to a birthday party of one of my son's classmates. It was at a pottery making house on this farm. My son had a BLAST and got super dirty. I couldn't believe how many mother complained about how dirty their kids got and how the farm was this and that...complaints, complaints, complaints. Good grief! I agree with you that kids of an innate appreciation with kids. Unfortunately, I have met some metro-mamas that seemed to make an effort to beat that inner desire out of their kids. I took my son to a birthday party of one of my son’s classmates. It was at a pottery making house on this farm. My son had a BLAST and got super dirty. I couldn’t believe how many mother complained about how dirty their kids got and how the farm was this and that…complaints, complaints, complaints. Good grief!

]]> By: dgm http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9693 dgm Thu, 03 Apr 2008 12:51:02 +0000 http://teenymanolo.com/2008/04/03/watch-out-mother-nature-here-come-the-soccer-moms-and-boy-are-they-a-bitchy-group/#comment-9693 Admittedly I didn't click on the link, but I will say that I know plenty of older kids (and families) who are disconnected from nature. Their lives are so scheduled that there is no time or parental interest to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. I think kids are easily engaged by the outdoors and all its offerings, but they need the chance to slow down and collect rocks or shells. If they are always doing homework or being driven to some practice or another, that ain't gonna happen. We make a deliberate effort to make it happen but I don't think that's the norm among people in our area. Admittedly I didn’t click on the link, but I will say that I know plenty of older kids (and families) who are disconnected from nature. Their lives are so scheduled that there is no time or parental interest to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. I think kids are easily engaged by the outdoors and all its offerings, but they need the chance to slow down and collect rocks or shells. If they are always doing homework or being driven to some practice or another, that ain’t gonna happen. We make a deliberate effort to make it happen but I don’t think that’s the norm among people in our area.

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