Having a son has made me think a lot about my childhood. It has made me think about the great memories I have and how awesome my parents were at raising me. I hope that in today’s world, it is still possible for kids to have that same kind of childhood. My wife and I are going to do everything we can to make sure Beau has that.

There are a couple of things from my childhood that I think were huge for my development, and honestly, I think our generation could do a better job bringing some of them back.
Go Outside

My childhood was outside.

My parents would let my friends and me play in the yard for hours. We played so much baseball that the bases were literally worn into the grass. We no longer needed real bases because you could see where they were supposed to be.

Or it was my buddy Brad and I riding our bikes and playing baseball all day long at Brandon Park.

Or going over to our neighbors’, the Lupos’, house to swim.

Late-night “manhunt” games were always a summer staple at The Webbs.

Summer was outside.

No phones. No sitting inside all day. Just being kids.

Something my parents did that I appreciate now is that they only let me play video games at night, and even then, only sports games were allowed. Looking back, that pushed me outside. Another thing they did was never let me play online games. At the time, I probably hated it, but now I realize it forced me to actually be with my friends if I wanted to hang out with them.

And honestly, I think that was a good thing.

Looking back, I think my parents understood something before many people did. If kids always have entertainment in front of them, they stop creating their own adventures.
Don’t Let Your Kids Be Shy

Another thing my parents did was never really give me the option to be shy.

I had to learn how to talk to people.

I had to order my own food. I had to make eye contact when someone was talking to me. I had to say “Mr.” and “Mrs.” when talking to adults, and I always had to say thank you.

At the time, you do not realize how important those little things are.

But now that I am older, I see how much being able to communicate and respect people helps in life. It helps with relationships, jobs, friendships, and confidence.

I think sometimes today we protect kids from being uncomfortable too much when, in reality, those little uncomfortable moments are what help them grow.

I probably thought my parents were being hard on me. Now I realize they were preparing me for the real world.

I know my parents were not perfect, and none of us will be perfect as parents. But looking back, I am so thankful for the way they raised me.

Now it is my turn to try to do the same for Beau.

But it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a community. We all have to come together and do things the right way for the next generation.

I catch myself thinking about these things while holding Beau. One day, he is going to want to ride bikes, play ball, stay outside too late, and hang out with his friends. I hope Lauren and I can give him a childhood he looks back on the same way I look back on mine.

Kids do not need a perfect childhood.

They just need present parents, real experiences, and, actually, a chance to be kids.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6