I spent a large portion of my childhood, outdoors, with my grandmother literally dragging me into the house long enough to eat, or put a jacket on, before allowing me and my twin brother out again, and hollering after us:

"Be home before the street lights are turned on!"

Today, my children will turn to the computer, their video games and the television to spark their imaginations, if left to their own devices, which is fine...to a point.

"I'm bored."

What - they must be joking, right?!?

"Go outside!"

What - you know, it has been a very wet and chilly spring (here on the east coast) but, certainly nothing a child, wearing a jacket, hat and perhaps a pair of the dozens of gloves lying around the house, couldn't handle, right?!?

"The sun is out and it's not that cold."

Then, there's the whole having to get dressed thing.

"Can we go to the mall?"

Uh, no.

"I'm making dinner."

Okay, reheating leftovers, still.

"We can eat at the mall!"

Still, no.

"Why don't you ask your brother or sisters to play a game?"

Silence.

"Can we go to the mall and get a new video game?"

You see where this is headed, don't you?  My husband and I are not as close-fisted as my chidren would have you believe.  Nevertheless, with only one of us bringing home a steady paycheck, my children do not need more stuff.  Besides, it goes against my being raised learning to do without and still turning out okay, sort of.

"Can I call on so-and-so to come over?"

Here's the other thing - not only are we tight - we've got a very full house, already.  It's difficult keeping play dates (or hang-outs, as my 13-year-old insists) exclusively, without feeling as if I'm losing control.  Not to mention, trying to explain to a 5-year-old why they cannot play with their sister/brother and her/his friends(s), right now and then having to separate the boys from the girls in an attempt at encouraging as little bloodshed, as possible.

"So, can we go to the mall...or what?"

Heavy sigh.

"Tell you what...how about I finish putting dinner together and we all go outside?"

It took us over twenty minutes to get dressed and find everyone a pair of socks, shoes, gloves...well, you know...and I was happy to see the sun hadn't gone down as I opened the back door.

"Gosh, it's COLD!"

Ten minutes later, I threw my 5-year-old's muddy boots into the sink, turned up the fire under the kettle and grabbed for the instant cocoa with marshmallows.

"Which movie did you want to watch, Momma?"

Shut your mouth, it's cold outside!