kids becoming depressed without outside time

     In the article, "All Work and No Play: Why Your Kids Are More Anxious, Depressed" written by Esther Entin, she talks about how kids in our generation today, do not get out as much as their parents did as they were children. She talks about how the lack of free time outside is causing students to be more anxious about things or even depressed.

     Adults and parents today might all have memories of playing a numerous amount of outside activities growing up. But when you compare those rates of being outside then, to being outside today, there is a dramatic number decrease.

     A big reason of why the kid play time is being pushed back is because of an over protective or self-conscious parent. Parents may be scared to allow their children outside as much is because all of the dangers and accidents involving children that have increased over the past several years. I'm sure any parent would have these concerns.

     When children are in charge of their own outside freedom, experts say that the child will grow up to have a better mind with controlling things when they are adults. Experts also say that when children are in charge of their play/free time, they discover who they are or what they want to do on their own.

     Children are usually directed around and told what to do, that’s when they automatically get their future life choices from other peoples decisions.

Kids learn to make their own choices, solve their problems, show self-control, and how to listen to directions. All of these opportunities will be given to the child if kids go out more and make their own free time choices.

     When children feel freer while they are playing outside they can learn to do and control many more things. Rather than a parents bossing them around telling them what to do, children have the option to go off and make their own decisions that will build them up for a better adult life.

     Children not only make more friends while they go outside, they learn how to have friendship connections with other children, learn to handle their expressions/emotions. Also their fears about things will soon overcome because they will be more used to the atmospheric display given to them.

     By letting your child miss out on more free time is like letting them miss out on school time. If a child is becoming more depressed or sad, maybe going outside and letting them have control of that time will make them happier and not so stressful.

     More children need to get out and breathe the fresh air provided to so many other kids, and they will learn and accommodate many more new traits and qualities.