Amazing how the passage of time changes things

[Medusa]

As in everything, I think, balance is the key. Of course, my son was young during the time before home computers. Video games were popular when he was a teenager but he wasn't that interested. He's always been very active and physical, still is. You're right; physical activity needs to be instilled and encouraged at a young age.

[pomtzu]

As in everything, I think, balance is the key. Of course, my son was young during the time before home computers. Video games were popular when he was a teenager but he wasn't that interested. He's always been very active and physical, still is. You're right; physical activity needs to be instilled and encouraged at a young age.

How I agree - as my grandson is sitting in front of the t.v. playing one of his dozens of video games, with a choice of 3 different game systems.

He acts like he's being punished if I tell him to go outside and play. I get the old - "but there's nothing to do outside".

It is more difficult for him tho, since we live in a rural area and he's not in town with a lot of friends to play with. There's no kids around here anywhere near his age, so there really isn't anything for him to do. I guess playing basketball or jumping on the trampoline gets old after a while.

One of the downsides of country living I guess.

[Karen]

There's no kids around here anywhere near his age, so there really isn't anything for him to do. I guess playing basketball or jumping on the trampoline gets old after a while.

One of the downsides of country living I guess.

Oh, but there IS stuff to do in the country!

Look for arrowheads

Find the neatest rock you can - and it can just be one, so you may have to look for a while to make sure you have the neatest, coolest one, then make a grown-up help you look up what it is - quartz? feldspar? granite? Keep it until the next day, then find a better one ...

See how many plants you can identify in your yard.

Take a walk and gather wildflowers for a bouquet for grandma - good practice for future girlfriends

Do you know every tree in the yard? What kind it is, what's special about it?

Do a "nature study" - pick a spot and count how many birds (and what kind) and bugs - yes, from ants to beetles to worms ... you are allowed to pick up rocks to see what lives underneath - bonus points if you find a salamander

See how high you can climb in a tree, and what you can see from there that you don't see on the ground

Draw something every day. You don't need to be an artists, just do you best. It helps you execise a different part of your brain, always good. If you don't want to draw flowers, draw cars ... I promise you will get better by the end of the summer.

Flowing water in the yard? Build a little dam, just for fun. Be sure to destroy it before you go to bed - no need to flood the yard ...

[pomtzu]

Those are some pretty good ideas Karen, but if I suggested any, other than climbing a tree, he would think I had rocks in my head. I'm sure he would consider it as science homework. BTW - he'll be 13 next month.

He was in Sams' shopping with me right after school let out, and he begged and pleaded for me to buy a book that he wanted - said his teacher highly recommended it. Since he could use some better reading skills, I relented and bought it for him. I told him he was going to read a least a half hour everyday, and when he was done, he could write a book report for me. He's only thru the first chapter, so I guess you can figure how much reading he's been doing.

So yesterday I told him he'd better get to it. Everyday now, the t.v. goes off at 2:00, and he must read for a minimum of a half hour - or else!!!

[Cataholic]

For a 13 year old boy, locate some scrap wood and let him build something with it.

[Medusa]

It's a different world now, though. When my son was little, he could safely roam the neighborhood and all I had to do was shout his name and he'd come home. You don't dare let kids out of your sight nowadays. When I was little, we briefly lived in the country and I wouldn't come until supper time. I played in the creek, dug up worms, collected rocks, picked berries, talked to fairies and gnomes ; I was exhausted when I got home. I ate dinner, then went out to play again and would catch lightning bugs (fireflies). Life was simpler and safer then.