Happy Fourth to you — get the kids outside

In my backyard, G.I. Joe didn’t abide by the Geneva Conventions. When he encountered soldiers from Cobra (a force of evil terrorists bent on world domination), he used whatever was handy to subdue his opponent. In June and early July, Black Cat firecrackers were almost always within reach.

Through intensive battlefield research, Joe found that a minimum of three Black Cats were needed to put Cobra soldiers down permanently, but only if all three detonated at the same time. To increase the odds that this would happen, my friends and I used at least nine firecrackers on each of the bad guys.

Aside from being a bit destructive, it was good, clean fun. No flesh-and-blood creatures, human or otherwise, lost any parts. And it was active play. We stayed fit and trim, mostly because we spent our summers sprinting away from lit fuses.

But times have changed. My folks were great parents, but they did let me out of their sight. My own kids were almost never out of my line of vision as they were growing up. A lot of the activities I participated in when I was a kid just wouldn’t have been possible if any responsible adults were looking over my shoulder.

Children today suffer because of that. We don’t let them outside, and when we do, we’re constantly telling them, “Don’t do that!” “Stay away from there!” “Don’t you DARE light that fuse!”

I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. Keeping our children safe should be our No. 1 priority. But we’re doing them a disservice if by keeping them out of harm’s way, we’re taking away the discovery, enjoyment and excitement of childhood.

It’s more than just the Fourth of July and fireworks. There have been studies showing a link between the rise of instances of attention deficit disorder in children and the decline in kids’ access to nature. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown excursion into the heart of the wilderness. Just more time playing in the back yard can help, though wilder experiences in the forest seem to be even more beneficial.

So take your kids outside today. Take a hike. Go fishing. And find some time to go on other outings in other natural places from time to time over the summer. Change it up along the way. Go to the lake and fish one weekend, then take a backwoods camping trip the next. Maybe a short hike if you can’t get fit an overnight trip into the schedule.

As for today, if you own some land where fireworks are legal, show the kids how to blow a Cobra soldier to the moon. For safety’s sake, though, don’t forget to teach them how to run for cover.