The Fine Art of Play

Now that I have a young boy of my own I am becoming increasingly concerned about what passes for entertainment these days. I understand that there is really no such thing as the ‘good old day’ and that each era has had its problems. I also understand that my childhood could not possibly be as idyllic as I remember it being.

That said, I do know that I did not spend near as much time in front of a computer, television screen, or indoors as many of the children I meet today. In fact, I spent less time indoors than my little sister (there is of course almost a decade between us). As a twenty five year old, it isn’t that I don’t enjoy watching television or playing video games on occasion, it’s just that I remember what it was like to get out and explore, to foster a sense of wonder for the world that we live in.

Now that I am raising a child I would like to instill in him that sense of wonder for the little miracles all around us. I want him to see the world as a great big beautiful place that is full of countless mysteries and treasures just waiting to be discovered. To be honest, I’m still doing everything I can to foster this attitude in myself. Just yesterday, after work, I found a climbable tree, stripped off my shoes and climbed up as far as I could. I wasn’t even out of my work clothes yet! It was simply too good to resist.

While finding a climbable tree I saw all kinds of interesting insects, frogs, and more. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a world without these things. I want to share them with my little boy. Why watch a nature documentary when you can get out and explore it? Why play video games in a make believe world when there are amazing experiences waiting right outside your back door?

A Small Step Toward the Peacable Kingdom

The BBC and other news agencies are reporting that the last U.S. state, LA, is banning cock fighting starting in 2008. This is, I believe, a long over due but important victory for not just animal rights activists but anyone concerned with living in a better world. I firmly believe that we cannot create an ethical, peaceful society unless we begin to treat even the smallest and seemingly most insignificant of creatures with respect and humanity.

Here's the web address of the story, you may have to cut and paste:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6898020.stm

Also, here's a link to Farm Sanctuar, an incredible organization based in New York that rescues and raises farm animals otherwise headed to a life of pain and misery. Please note that this organization does not in any way condone the activities of such extremist groups as the Animal Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front. Those two organization have, in my opinion, set their own causes back considerably. We cannot fight violence with violence, we cannot expect others to treat life with respect if we do not first treat those we disagree with with respect as well.

http://www.farmsanctuary.org

Water Water Everywhere

Kara and I took the baby swimming for the first time a couple of days ago. It was fun, though Kara couldn’t join us. She wasn’t feeling well and still has an ailing knee from an accident two weeks ago. She sat at the poolside and read a book, stopping to occasionally take pictures of our little man in the water.

For his part, Hayden seemed to enjoy most of the experience. There was a minor meltdown at the beginning. We had planned on placing him in a baby float that I would guide around the pool. However, once I placed him in it and let go of his body he began to scream. My guess is that he didn’t like the feeling of instability. I was there and I put my hands out to comfort him but he wouldn’t stop crying until I picked him up and held him.

Interestingly, as soon as I was holding on to him it didn’t matter how close we were. I held him a little ways away and let him float on his back. I turned him over so he was ‘swimming’ on his stomach with his head above the water. He didn’t seem to mind any of this.

He was more sedate than usual, just staring at the world around him. Not at all the way he usually reacts to water. At bath time when we place him in the water it’s like being hit repeatedly by a tidal wave of soapy water. He kicks and splashes in every direction until the floor is covered (though Kara says the bonus is we don’t have to mop any more). By the end of the bath Kara and I are soaked, the cats are afraid to come anywhere within ten feet (splash radius) and the baby usually has an incurable case of the giggles.

All of this from the child who used to scream like he was being eaten alive by dingoes during bath time. Go figure.

By the by, Prairie Home Companion Published a poem I wrote called 'Growing Pains' about our little bundle of joy. You can see it by going to:

www.prairiehome.org

Go to the 'First Person' section and click on the June Archive. It's listed as 'Growing Pains'

Here's a quick link directly to it (though you should check out Prairie Home's site too...by the way if the links don't work just copy and paste them, they'll take you where you need to go):

http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/features/first_person/2007/06/27_jex.shtml