Video Games to Bike Commute & the Shocking Discoveries

"Where's my 3DS? I need it for the bus ride!" Words I hear almost every morning. Today, however, was NOT one of those mornings.

My youngest son, Joey, has a tendency to feed off the energy around him. Unstructured time with lots of youngsters radiating high energy is a recipe for an end of the day phone call. The bus, with all the kids crammed into a small space, and no bus monitor has always been a particular trigger point for him. To dissolve the situation, I finally thought of a solution that focused his energy elsewhere. It is not something I promote as a fix all, and I do not think kids should have their heads shoved into video games to induce socially acceptable behavior, but it helped in his case.

About a month ago, Joey asked if he could bike to school. Bike to school means no need for video games in the morning. He got my vote.

Unsure of the accommodations at the school, I went down for a visit. When I inquired about where he might store his bike, I was initially greeted with the look that made me think I must have had 3 heads.

"You want him to ride his bike to school?"

"Ummmm... Yes."

It went from, "He'll need a note." to "We don't have anywhere for kids to store bikes."

In shock, I asked how a district that promotes No Kid Left Inside, and has kids practicing their mile run for 2 months prior to whatever school physical fitness program they are trying to get acclamation from, does not promote a healthy lifestyle otherwise? Is it all just political?

I had to have the principal called down to speak with me, so I could get some answers. Thankfully, she was a bit more accommodating and allowed Joey to store his bike in her office, but how does that help promote the opportunity to others?

Guess we'll have to lead the charge to change.

Not playing video games while waiting to begin our commute.

This morning was our first commute. We set off after the buses had already picked the kids up in our neighborhood. We made our way along the farm road that cuts through to the neighborhood across from the school. Birds singing, the sun shining, ducks in the pond... What a great start to the school day.

As we entered the neighborhood, only a few minutes walk from the school, there were kids at every corner waiting for a bus to pick them up. What a shame! How do so many kids live so close to each other and the school and cannot walk to school together. There were even parents standing at the corners with the children. It's nice out. Walk with them! Ride with them!

Still stunned from the realization of corner after corner of kids so close to the school, yet waiting for a bus, we turned the corner and found no one. There was the school. There was the cross walk. There was no one. No crossing guard, no kids walking. What have we done to this generation!?

Guess we'll have to lead the charge to change.