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"we had a very secret tree fort also, hidden deep within the woods"

That's nice that you did, also. Sad about the overgrown paths. I do think kids rely on much more passive entertainment these days. Aside from all the entertainment that society now provides for kids (and grownups), I think that the PC types want it that way. Passive kids and citizens who are not used to doing things for themselves (and making their own decisions) are easier to control.

Harry Stein, in his book, How I Joined the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy by Mistake spoke briefly about the modern trend to prohibit school kids from playing "violent" games like "cops and robbers," etc. He asked why do these people insist that when kids play with toy guns that they are playing with "instruments of death?" Why can't they understand that the children see themselves as playing with "instruments of justice?"

Not sure why I am so gregarious today...better get back to work though. Do you think this thread is having an effect on national productivity? Probably is today, at least...

Oh, that's a lovely story! Wish I could have done something like that... my childhood, though not long ago, still had those days of wandering through the woods, building secret forts and lying in wait for enemies. We used large sticks rather than guns - a medieval streak in me, I suppose, and the fact that sticks are useful for hundreds of things. Between my adventures outside and in books I had an exciting girlhood. Plenty of elves and not a few dragons....

I love talking about the woods! - and I guess it is sortof on topic for the Lothlorien section!

I am not sure I can buy your vast conspiracy theory to keep kids from playing in the woods as we did... I would suspect laziness or fear are the reasons. Easier to have them watch a video than take them outside, and little ones are no longer allowed to roam the neighborhood any more for fear of creeps.

A friend who lives in the city brings her 9 year old daughter over sometimes, and I always make a point of letting her ride my horse, climb on the hay, poke ant-hills and get dirty. And I wave off her mother that would inadvertantly turn her into a wallflower. When we all went walking I told the girl about a cool clearing I have in my woods that I call the "witch's circle" (It is just a grassy clearing with a fire pit in the center that was there when I moved in) I told her to run down the path a ways and check it out. Her eyes got all big and she got all excited to go look! - Her mother would not let her run up ahead and explore it alone! Made her stay back with us! - Parents are so afraid these days that kids are missing out.

Well, if I ever have kids, they shall play in the woods!