Why have them?

[AUFred]

I may take grief here for comparing pets to children but here goes. I have several neighbors who own dogs. I never see them spending any time with them or playing with them. I have several neighbors who have children. I never see them spending time with them or playing with them.

When my kids were young and I coached their sports teams. I was amazed how many boys 7 or 8 years old who had no idea how to throw or catch, much less hit a ball with a bat. When my kids were not even walking we played ball in the house on the floor in the hall. It kept anything from getting broke and taught them to throw straight. By the time they were 3 or 4 we were playing in the yard. I took my son to a camp when he was in the 4th grade. I had to teach kids how to throw a Frisbee. Really? Do parents just spit them out and ignore them?

 

[HK]

Maybe they play with them indoors? The children, at least.

 

[hart]

I think it's a combination, Fred. People are working longer hours, kids are on the puters and cellphones and whatnot so much, most families don't even seem to have dinner together.

When I met Evan, he had never been camping, nor his father. They loved it and we bought more camping equipment, went more and more primitive and he loved it. I played games with him, his mother sent him off to his room a lot, we bonded easily.

Cheri is a good mom, don't get me wrong, but she had Evan join a lot of activities outside the house, which is nice, but she wasn't/isn't a get with him and do things type. I and Joe are more so.

 

[AUFred]

Maybe they play with them indoors? The children, at least.

It is possible. I am just surprised how many parents buy their kids game systems & send them to their rooms. Engaging our children I believed made them more well-rounded than many of their peers.

I think it's a combination, Fred. People are working longer hours, kids are on the puters and cellphones and whatnot so much, most families don't even seem to have dinner together.

When I met Evan, he had never been camping, nor his father. They loved it and we bought more camping equipment, went more and more primitive and he loved it. I played games with him, his mother sent him off to his room a lot, we bonded easily.

Cheri is a good mom, don't get me wrong, but she had Evan join a lot of activities outside the house, which is nice, but she wasn't/isn't a get with him and do things type. I and Joe are more so.

I took my children hunting and fishing and taught them to shoot guns, blowguns, slingshots, bows and how to do things with their hands. My daughter was a good fisherperson when young but my son never took to it. My son loves to shoot and is quite good at it. I just believe in being a part of my children's lives and teaching them instead of depending on others to do it.