“Is childhood ever long enough, or a happy time, or even a beautiful summer day?” — Eugene Kennedy
No. The innocence of childhood is never long enough.
Our hyperconnected world means that kids can’t just get on their bikes and go over to their friends’ houses and play in the backyard creek or go down to the field for a pickup game. We are overscheduled, overstressed, and the children bear the brunt of it.
Let them play in the backyard and climb trees into their teens.
Let them sleep in, for soon enough they will have school and jobs and kids of their own.
Let them blow bubbles and chase butterflies before they have to chase their dreams and the almighty dollar.
A summer day fades. The summer of youth does so nearly as fast. Hold on to those warm days of innocence and carefree frolicking for as long as possible, before the chill of autumn shortens the days and turns the leaves brown.