Get those kids outside!

[Amber]

Saw this article in the online version of NYTimes: A Federal Effort to Push Junk Food Out of Schools

I think our fair First Lady would be better served to re-focus her energies on ensuring school districts have the resources to allow for more recess time, and better timing of recess (see Play, Then Eat: Shift May Bring Gains at School). Of course, try to tell that to a government bent on banning things rather than finding a real solution to a problem.

When I was in K-6 we had morning recess around 10 a.m. (15 minutes), a long recess after lunch (20 minutes AFTER lunch, not during the scheduled lunch time), then afternoon recess at 2 (10 minutes). 45 minutes of running around time daily, plus specials every day - gym 3x/week, art and music on the other days. In Junior High, we had gym daily except for the "health" portion in a classroom once per week. But then we also had free after-school sports in Jr. High and High School so better health wasn't relegated solely to those who could afford it, either.

Home lives aside, I'd wager that huge reduction in our kids' daily activity level is far more at fault for weight issues than sugary sodas or snacks.

[Ghostdog]

The parks and playgrounds are almost always empty. You hardly ever see kids just playing outside either. The problem just isn't with the schools (but crimminy sakes bring back recess so the kids can burn off energy) but they need to go outside and play when they get home too.

[rrcjamato]

We finally start ensuring there are outside places to play and then no one uses them. Part of it is all the restrictions put on some land. What happened to letting kids go play in a stream and catch frogs and bring them home or catch lizards and all kinds of things

[Amber]

I am thrilled to be able to take the kids to Edwards Beach this summer now that the playground has been built.

Screw Phil and his shadow, I am SO ready for spring and gardening and bike rides and playgrounds and swimming and...

[loucook]

I'm always amazed at how or govt reacts instead of acts. We need to get our kids moving as well as watch what is going in. Long gone are the days in which we grew up where we grabbed a glove and bat or just our bikes and headed outside for the day. I remember my mom just telling me to come in when the street lights came on. Our means of communicating with friends was to just yell for them when we got outside. We ran and played all day. Stopping only to eat lunch and then begged our parents to let our friends come over to eat. Hell, we even drank from the garden hose. Now everything is organized.. soccer, football, baseball!! I mean really? It's very frustrating.

Living near the beach at Forge has allowed my kids and me to really have fun during the summer. We were quite disappointed when they bulldozed the baseball field over by the Cameron Senior Center.. UGGGG!! Oh wait - they did give us equal land when they stole that piece. Hmm where you ask...? Well, it had to be broken up into two pieces to equal the lot they stole. One lot is a nice overgrown parking lot (paved) just a few blocks away from the Senior Center. I know my kids are really looking forward to heading there to play this summer. The other piece of land that they gave is...hmm I really don't know where. It's certainly NOT in our neighborhood though.

[deanwo]

Try some ice fishing. We have some great places to do this in Westford -- Forge Pond, Long Sought For Pond, Burgess Pond just to name a few.

[Amber]

Try some ice fishing. We have some great places to do this in Westford -- Forge Pond, Long Sought For Pond, Burgess Pond just to name a few.

Oh, yeah...a 6-year-old with autism who loves the water on a lake filled with ice fishin' holes. That'll make for an evening to remember...!

[rrcjamato]

We are going to take some cub scouts ice fishing at EBC

[loucook]

Ice fishing, huh. Do you use frozen worms??

I've never been big on fishing in general. Though I do take the kids out a few times a year and make the yearly guys weekend in Orleans ( NO NOT like Brokeback Mnt). I just never really got "it" the whole fishing thing

[deanwo]

It's one of those things that is easy to not do, but once you get started, it is very easy to get hooked....

Fish eat about everything, so it is more about location, presentation and timing. Catch and release practice makes it much simpler. Getting outdoors in beautiful settings makes the sport very relaxing. Just like a good workout leaves you satisfied, if you miss the next workout you start feeling anxious. Fishing has a tendency to keep calling you back for more.