Every Kid Should...

I was listening to a popular radio station this morning. Every morning the DJ picks a topic or question and listeners call in with their opinions. This morning the question was "What is something that every child should experience?" A few of the answers were: camping, chores, driving an old clunker, etc. I didn't hear the rest of the show, but thought of several childhood experiences that no child should go without.

Every kid should discover storybooks and the love of reading

Every kid should ride a carousel

Every kid show blow lots of bubbles, every chance they can

Every kid should discover the fun of hiking in the woods

Every kid should visit a Pumpkin Patch in the fall

Every kid should visit a Petting Zoo and pet all of the animals

Every kid should jump into a pile of autumn leaves

Every kid needs to go to the park frequently

Every kid needs to enjoy a real snow day, especially if you live in the South

And of course, every kid needs to travel to the beach, preferably every summer

The Innocence of Childhood

I love the innocence of childhood.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked my grandchildren when they spent the night.

"Spiderman!" immediately responded my three-year old grandson. He is currently obsessed with this comic book hero.

"Tinker Bell," said the four-year old. She wants to fly when she grows up.

"A princess," replied seven-year old "Teka", "Probably Belle, because she looks like me."

I see many children that are miniature adults. My grandchildren still believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. And that's okay, because these years go by so fast and soon they won't remember their childhood dreams. But then again maybe they will grow up to be a princess.

Pretending to Be a Grown-Up

Grown-ups don't cry

At least that's what I thought as a child
I only saw grown-ups cry at funerals
And that was from a distance
Because children didn't go to funerals
When I was a child

Grown-ups work all the time
And never take time to play
They look serious all the time
And tired...really tired
Not the kind of tired that you feel
From jumping on the trampoline
Just tired

Grown-ups never go barefoot
When people grow up they put on shoes
And never take them off anymore
They even wear their socks to bed
At least some of them do
Wouldn't it be fun to kick off your shoes
And walk barefooted through the dewy grass
First thing in the morning?

Grown-ups drink a lot of coffee and tea
And talk about 'eating right'
They are always on a diet
What is wrong with chocolate milk
Cookies and soda pop?

Grown-ups go to bed way too early
Because they have to get up and go to work
They are grumpy when they don't get enough sleep
Come to think about it
It's not so bad being a kid