What Happened?

Remember those days when, as shadows would fall
And twilight dimmed the sky overhead
All up the streets our mothers would call
‘Time to come in for bed’
Remember the sound of childish dismay
Bidding our playmates goodnight
Because morning was an eternity away
Brimming with dreams and delight

Remember when children would skip or climb trees
Or gather for a game of ‘ball’
Sisters would tattle and brothers would tease
And you could hear mothers call
‘Come in, come in, it’s getting late
Tomorrow will come too soon’
But still we would play as long as we dared
Until the threat of a wooden spoon

Remember those days of tag and bare feet
Of playing out-doors all day
The pond to chase away August heat
And while sunny hours away
Remember the good old days of yore
Before screens abducted young eyes
Silencing the slamming of the old screen door
But opening a door to demise...

...remember when mothers and daddies would pause
On the porch at the end of a day
Reluctant to go inside because
They were watching their children play
No cell phones or blackberries or 'twittering'
Or messages to return
I wonder what are we teaching our children
As they observe... and learn

Janet~

It’s up to us as parents to keep those
‘good old days’ alive, isn’t it?

Remember when our parents would have to order us
to come inside…not to go outside, PLEASE…