Childhood

(I wrote this earlier today)

This morning Chad and the boys went over to the battalion. Chad had some reciepts he needed to turn in and talked to a couple people. Then he took them to the park. I had no idea they went to the park, otherwise I would have joined them. Today is also the last day of public school here on post. I'm sure the park will have a lot more kids out in at during the day from here on out. Of course we'll be spending our days at the pool for the most part, but honestly it's nice to hear the sound of kids playing. That was always something that bewildered me at Ft. Riley. It seemed like so often the kids were not outside playing. When we first moved to our house from the apartment (different area on post) there were all kinds of kids and then they just seemed to disappear. They would rarely come out and play. It's really sad that so many parents let their kids stay inside. They NEED outdoor play. They NEED that excercise! My goodness it just lets them sleep so much better at night. They're healthier inside and out as well. On average the boys are outside 3-6 hours a day/evening and with summer coming it's going to be even more. We're all stocked up with new sunblock, lipblock, etc. I'm truly looking forward to our days at the pool. I want my boys to have wonderful memories of their childhood! Some of my favorite memories are from summer breaks. Although we're raising our children quite differently than I or Chad was raised in the fact that we homeschool. We're a military family as well and let me tell you that in and ofitself is a world apart in so many ways than how either Chad or I grew up. We live in Germany for starters!! Chad is often gone about every other year for a min. of 12 months. Me I grew up with 2 parents, both worked. We grew up in a small town in Kansas of aprox 3500 people...everyone knew everyone for the most part. I grew up walking country miles, watching the waving wheat (literally) and loving it. I grew up riding my horse, running in the pasture with my brother and neighbor friends, playing in the creek (while my crazy brother and the boy neighbor went swimming in the pond...YUCK!). Chad grew up with a single mom and his sister. Although Chad and I had different childhood's, much different..they were still pretty average.

I look at my boys and want a good, carefree childhood. I don't want them to worry abot adult problems, which seems to be all the rave anymore for some rediculous reason. What is so wrong with letting kids be kids. They don't NEED to be watching violent movies and cartoons. They need carefree fun. They play Army just like Chad did when he was a kid. They play superhero's, cars, etc. Yes Daddy is a real life soldier, but they don't know exactly what he does when he is deployed and they don't NEED to know. Reality will come soon enough. I hope my boys look back and remember a carefree childhood, where yes Daddy was gone but they always knew they were loved. Where they got to go and play and have fun daily. Where adult problems were just that and kid problems were just that.
Right now I'm looking at a 3 yr old who for the 3rd day in a row is wearing a Spiderman costume. He HAS clothes on under it, but it's kind of pointless! LOL We've taken that boy all over the place in that costume, but this is where parenting comes into play...you pick your battles and is it worth fighting with a 3 yr old over a custome so he can pretend he's spiderman? Not in my opinion. Before I know it, he won't want to dress up anymore.

I'm just so thankful that so far my children have a carefree childhood. Their worries are whether they can take water guns outside and where their bike helmuts are. I want them to have fun, enjoy their childhood.