Have you ever seen a photo of one of those old baby cages hanging from the window of a 1930s skyscraper? In the 1930s, parents worried about the health of their children because of the poor air quality in these tall, old buildings.
I guess that fresh air thing must have been a good thing because in some ways it still persists today. Scandinavian parents often park their little ones in strollers outside restaurants while they come inside for a break. They say that fresh air and even cold air are good for their babies' lung development.
I do not disagree with the idea of giving our little ones some fresh air. But, in a similar vein, I don't think we'll see any American parents today hanging their children outside their 10th floor apartment window in a cage. We also won't see parents leaving their little ones out in the cold unattended to develop lung capacity.
Want to know what else seems a little crazy? Today's American parents take youth sports too seriously. Rules have even been put in place at some youth competitions to discourage applause. Officials continually remind parents of appropriate behavior during games. And signs are posted everywhere just in case parents forget the rules. Coaches even send behavioral contracts home for athletes and their parents to sign. Police are now stationed at a large number of youth games that take place every day in our great country. Do you remember this madness when we were children? No, me neither. Parents have gone a bit crazy about youth sports, haven't they? Parents, let's relax a bit and let our kids have fun. Okay?
Now, as my grandfather always said, "Go learn, lead and prepare the way to a better world for all of us." Keep in mind that sometimes things can get a little crazy, however, with some soul-searching and personal thinking we can stop some of the madness right now. And once again parents, thank you in advance for everything you do and everything you will do ...