Bubble wrapped kids

Google 'enhanced' my Ohiopyle bridge photo  

and that of the silver tree on the Mall

Hannah enjoying playground equipment  Later we took her to see baby farm animals. She was not a fan

Allie

a pensive Maya

big smile. She turns 8 Sunday. Her hair has never been cut. If you were to pull a strand down, it would go to the middle of her back

Several times Josh has told me that  though he was glad the way we raised him, he will never let his girls roam the neighborhood like we allowed him to.  A mixed compliment if I ever heard one: yeah you guys were great but we aren't going to do what you did.He admits all his buddies' parents let them wander too otherwise he would have no one to play with unless we arranged 'playdates' in advance.

He is not alone apparently according to a recent Wall Street Journal article. Kids these days get much less freedom than their parents who in turn got less freedom than their parents ie. my generation. Are there more child molesters out there? More speeding, drunk driving cars? More gangs? Is it too hard to learn to look both ways before crossing a street? The downside to all this over protectedness is that there is now a increase in anxiety disorders with the constant reminders on how dangerous it is out there. And there are laws in some states saying you can not send a sub twelve year old to a park by himself. Age that a kid can walk to school by themselves? Ten according  the College of Pediatrics. Age that I walked myself to school? Five.

When I was four, I wandered around all day by myself. I assume my mom was busy with my baby brother. It was a small town and I was told never to cross this one particularly busy street, which I did as things were more interesting on the other side. Only once did someone ask how old I was and why wasn't I in school.. They said I was way too young and too far from home so I was walked back. My mom just shrugged.

No I didn't let my kids do this when they were so young but after they were 7 or so, they were free to explore our neighborhood as long as they came back at a set time.

I have decided to do the bike ride by myself to stop from feeling sorry for myself. I will know people there as lots of them return year after year. And I do make friends fairly easily. And I am in good shape so I am doing it though I don't think there is a town up north I haven't been to  We are doing the top of the mitten: Charlevoix, Petoskey, Mackinaw City, Cheybogan and Onaway. Lots of lakes including Lake Huron and Michigan.

We took Hannah and Allie to an animal farm full of baby animals. Allie likes them but Hannah screamed in terror.