A boy is sitting astride his motionless bike a little ahead of me as I walk around the lake with my dog on our regular morning jaunt. The boy looks about ten or twelve, give or take a couple of years. He’s wearing a school uniform. There’s something about his demeanour that broadcasts defeat.
This one really struck a chord Jill. We have a wonderful patch of bush in the park near our house. My kids played endlessly in it with the kids from the local neighbourhood. I even remember receiving a letter from my daughter when I was travelling that described the entire imaginary world she had built in there with the girls from next door. It has a fence around it now, which is probably great for the health of the bush, but it's sad for the local kids. They've lost that tiny space for freedom in a busy city.
In another kids related story from this week, I was busy with my morning routine yesterday when I heard very loud music coming from outside. It was sufficiently unusual that I went to my front door to investigate. The 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl from across the road were having a dance party on their front driveway. It was the most beautiful, joyful, delightful start to my day. The kids were having an absolute ball, with the little sister faithfully following her brother's lead. But I noted there was on ongoing tussle going on between parents and children, the former trying to encourage them back inside so that they "didn't disturb the neighbours". Next time I see them, I will let them know that this neighbour at least wasn't disturbed at all. Instead, it cast a happy smile over my entire day :)
This one really struck a chord Jill. We have a wonderful patch of bush in the park near our house. My kids played endlessly in it with the kids from the local neighbourhood. I even remember receiving a letter from my daughter when I was travelling that described the entire imaginary world she had built in there with the girls from next door. It has a fence around it now, which is probably great for the health of the bush, but it's sad for the local kids. They've lost that tiny space for freedom in a busy city.
In another kids related story from this week, I was busy with my morning routine yesterday when I heard very loud music coming from outside. It was sufficiently unusual that I went to my front door to investigate. The 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl from across the road were having a dance party on their front driveway. It was the most beautiful, joyful, delightful start to my day. The kids were having an absolute ball, with the little sister faithfully following her brother's lead. But I noted there was on ongoing tussle going on between parents and children, the former trying to encourage them back inside so that they "didn't disturb the neighbours". Next time I see them, I will let them know that this neighbour at least wasn't disturbed at all. Instead, it cast a happy smile over my entire day :)