I use to build amuzement parks in the dirt for bugs and lizards I would catch. I would spend a couple of weeks at a time in Joshua Tree (the desert) at my Grandmother's cabin. She was an artist and would paint all day long and I would try to find stuff to do and most always alone. Like catch chipmunks and bunnies, nurse sick or injured animals, hike, play with my gas station toys I got for free, build a house with cards, modify my bike with cards and clothes pins on my spokes. I would play dress up, do arts and crafts,fly kites, build forts, ride bikes and skate (didnt skate in Joshua Tree though.) When it was hot in the dez I would fill a 50 gal drum with water and stand in it. That was my swimming pool! One of my fondest or I should say funniest memories was filling a Sanka coffee jar with red ants. It was filled solid to the top with BIG red ants! I thought it was so cool to have this big jar of ants. So cool I accidently spilled it all over in my Grandma's bed when she wanted me to lay down for a rest. I didnt tell her because I was afraid she would give me the switch. Do kids even know what a switch is these days? I hated it. It stung bad! I didnt get the switch very often but enough to know better and respect elders. Im not one for the switch or spankings but it sure got me to cooperate when other things didnt. But depending on the kid and situation sometimes it is what gets something through to them. And often straightens some kids out early on avoiding bigger disipline problems later. Time out was bull shit. It least for my kids it was. It wasnt very effective with them. I think every person is an individual and we all learn differnt and have differnt temperments. I didnt spank my kids much at all unless it was very serious. And only for a breif time in their lives. But I did take things from them and ground them a lot. Grounding them was like grounding me because how else do they stay put if Im not there to make sure? Parenting is so hard at times. Even as young adults it is hard sometimes. I fought with my 18 year old daughter today. Over describing what a Falafel is. WTF? How does that happen? But she did say later "I love you Mom," when walking out the door tonight, and also told me she would check in.
Times are so different now. It is down right scary!