It all depends on what you are exposed to, what is done and if you can derive satisfaction. It is very hard to be satisfied playing an outdoor game, like ball if you are not good at it. It is hard to become good at something which is difficult to practice. Unlike in the past our lives with our children are spent with many more restraints. We don’t generally let our children hang out outside on the street to play with one another. Also, in many neighborhoods there are not so many children just hanging out there to be played with. Most of our children’s activities are scheduled events. Then maybe some impromptu playing occurs on the sidelines, but most things are organized. With video games there is the safety factor which appeals to parents. Our children don’t have lots of video games, and we actually let our kids hang out on the street in front of our house, ride their bikes around the block without constant supervision, but it is unusual. If kids are outside essentially unattended, then they are usually in backyards in the neighborhoods of myself and my peers.
I think fun comes in many forms and although we may feel our kids don’t have enough opportunity to just play and create their own games. I watch my own children and they make time to do all sorts of playing and creation even though they have these ridiculous schedules.
The other day at baseball an eight year old said to me she wished it were Friday and that the next day would be Saturday and that she would be able to just sleep and eat breakfast lunch and dinner in bed. I felt for the kid. I often feel the same way. Although there were things I was not happy about at eight, I don’t think having to wake up early seven days a week was one of those things. She chose to be in her activities, but even so not sleeping enough is certainly a drag.