Lilly at Critter Camp

Remember when you were a kid, and it seemed like summer went on forever?? Like most things, it remembers WAY BETTER than it lived, of course.

And -- like every generation, we lament the fact that today's children don't do any of the things WE DID when we were kids. There's no more playing pick-up baseball all afternoon with a group of neighborhood kids at the local ball diamond.

Nobody I know would dream of letting their kids walk six blocks to the local park to play basketball until it got dark at 9:00....and the days of leisurely walking through the woods to a pond and throwing in a line to go fishing...well, those days are long gone.

So -- that was then and this is now.

And the NOW pretty much means today's kids are in front of a SCREEN of some kind during their waking hours. You know how I feel about all that...Smartphones have made us stupid.  Parents take their children to worthwhile events at the local Art Museum, and then THEY (the parents) are playing with their damn phones. I see the young PARENTS doing this behavior in parks, at museums, the ballgame -- well, you name the place, and the 30-something people are ON THEIR DAMN PHONES...

Last week, when I told Warren (age 4) that we would be taking Grandpa's new car on our trip to Wisconsin, his first question was, "does Grandpa's new car have a screen in the back seat?"

'NOPE'' was not the answer the kid was hoping for...

But, the good news is that almost every institution, park, or organization that is trying to appeal to children -- has programs and events GEARED towards children. And they do their best to NOT HAVE ANY SCREENS.

In June, Lilly attended a Critter Camp at the local Clinton County Rock Creek Marina.  This is her second year for the camp -- and they do a SPECTACULAR JOB.

One of the activities is a ride on the Mississippi River in a big pontoon boat

Every child gets a turn DRIVING THE BOAT...

They have paddle boats, and kayaks...

If it's a rainy day, they have some indoor games...

Lilly's favorite day was when they got to pet the snakes.

We live in a far different world today. Which is both the good news and the bad news...but there's no changing it....and no going back. And, the truth is, it remembers better than it actually lived.

But if your kids are spending their summer, sitting inside the house, playing on their I-pad for hours on end...THAT'S ON YOU -- NOT THEM. Look around. Check out your town or county parks website...or your library...I guarantee the museum in your town has many worthwhile children's events, activities and games.