childhood craze

Not something new to me, in fact this has been something thats been nagging at the back of my head for a while now, ever since I watch my cousins while they play, the younger ones that is. Its ... well, I can't say its not too serious, but at the same time, not earth shattering. What is it? Well, technology. Now, before any of you say anything, I'm going to call myself a hypocrite first, because I for one love technology. I mean, c'mon, just look at my blog. To blog you need a computer, and the internet. Technology is so deeply integrated in our lives. But at the same time, I can't help but wonder if it has been taking away childhood. Real childhood.

What do I mean? Well, whats your fondest memory of your childhood? I grew up as an only child, my brother darling was 12 years older then me and had no time for my games. Its probably why I grew up adoring the time I get to go home to visit my cousins. My fondest memories of childhood are mostly centered around the games we play. No, not Nintendo, not computers, not even watching TV.

Everyday when the clock strikes 5, the second we get permission from our parents, the whole horde of us will pile out of our grandma's house. The old floor before it was fixed and all smooth as it is now, was cracked and full of bumps and ledges. Its because the house use to have two homongous trees in front, whose roots grew against the floor and cracked them. But we were so used to them, its like second nature. We played chasing games, tag, ice and water, and there was this perfectly round crack we use to sit around and play the handkerchief game.

Our greatest toys were a piece of cloth and a rubberband. We used the rubber band to throw, and then jump on one feet on the boxes we draw to pick it up while keeping our balance. I think the game is called hopscotch? We used to call it an aeroplane game, and we drew the boxes using chalk. Oh god forbid we get our hands on chalk, we'll go wild with them. Its a good thing rain is a common occurence, because we'll scribble all over the floor. We would always need bathes before the end of the day, because we'll be covered in sweat.

Cycling, running up and down the empty roads (grandma stayed in a dead end, hardly any cars came up. If any, they would be relatives/friends.), we'll race each other to the playground just opposite the house, and see who could swing the highest. And if we get tired of all that, my grandma's house is overgrown with green, we'll pretend we're playing house and go hunt for fruits and berries for dinner! All pretend of course. Even while we weren't out, we'll play things like hide and seek, and design our own treasure hunt and games to play inside my grandma's huge one story banglo. Best memories, ever.

But these days? My younger cousins are all stuck on computer games. Its not bad, but it saddnes me to see how kids these days don't know fun. I admit, I love my NDS and I would love to play PSP, but... shouldn't they know the fun of running wild outside? There's just something about being breathless from playing catch and ice and water, waiting anxiously to see if the handkerchief would end up behind you, and basically playing in midst of a sunset that no computer game or console could ever replace.

I guess I'm just a very traditional girl. Regardless of whether my cousins see the beauty of playing with the simplest objects around, I still adore them, young and my age alike. I would put my life for them, but at the same time, I wish they could go out and just be kids once in a while, instead of be cooped up in rooms fiddling away with game consoles.