80s Childhood

Over the years I've seen articles floating around the interwebs about how childhood today differs from the childhood we parents remember from the 1980s. When we moved to Helena, the strangest thing happened; it feels like we're living in a throwback. And it is awesome. Things are simpler, there are fewer rules, kids are outside more, weather isn't scary, kids come and go, and Finn and Emmett are thriving. Following are a few observations on how our boys are experiencing an 80s childhood:

• The neighborhood kids walk to school in a big bunch. I feel like I'm watching a scene from The Goonies every time they disappear around the hill. Oh, and they have to walk around a big hill and it's hard and they complain but that is what they do. It's the same hill Sean walked around with his crowd of Goonies 30+ years ago. It's a good hill.

• When they get home from school, they are back and forth between our house and the neighbor kids' house. They get a snack in one place or the other, or perhaps both, and when it's time for dinner a parent shouts down the block. We do not call this a playdate. We don't call it anything. The same neighbor kids might show up on Saturday morning when you are still in your pajamas to see if the boys want to play. They will join you for pancakes.

• You can bring homemade cupcakes on your birthday. Finn and Emmett are reeling from this one.

• The kids get three recesses a day. This is not as time allows or dependent upon sunshine. The whole school goes out for morning recess, for lunch recess, and for afternoon recess. Even in the rain. And the cold weather cutoff is 10 degrees. That's 10 degrees colder than the cutoff was in Illinois. That means so many more minutes of outdoor recreation during the winter months.

I don't know how or why it is so different, but I know that I love it. My kids are so much more active, are spending so much more time in the fresh air (well, once the smoke passed), and just seem more relaxed. Because I'm not working, I'm able to be relaxed with them, to get to know their friends, to be involved in their lives. It is good here.