What did we do without them?

Mary Jacobs has an op ed piece in today's Dallas Morning News called, "Hey, Mom and Dad, kids really can create their own fun" . Good golly, yes, and it's a weird form of almost-abuse not to let them. Boredom is one of the best things to ever happen to a kid.

I won't go into my long rant on the subject today, as I have so many things I want to do. That's what happens when you are privileged enough to be bored as a kid. You get curious about many subjects. You use your imagination. You create games and cooperate with other kids. You plan. You acquire these wonderful lifelong habits because you weren't rescued from your boredom by your parents.

You also burn a lot of energy playing outside. A dear demented friend and I have just been reminiscing about all the wonderful time spent running, chasing, and hiding in our childhoods (right after the dinosaurs died out). My neighborhood called this everybody's-welcome-to-join at-any-time-game, "DuntalaUt", and we sang our own soundtrack as we ran. This is how it goes:

Dunt a la ut,
dunt a la ut,
dunt a la Dunt A La Dunt A La Ut.

The tune may have been Keystone Kops, or some other classic black and white movie chase theme. The game can be played in any weather. Send the kids to the bathroom, bundle them up, and shoo them outside. Smile and wave when they run past the window.